Chicanery Row
by Reinbeauchaser
Summary: What does Leonardo do in the Lair when no one's around to watch? That's what Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello want to find out!
1. The Question

_**Disclaimer - **This story spawned from TMNTFreaks, a discussion board about our marvelous heroes in a half-shell. Unfortunately, I am unable to participate, since no matter how I log in, the site does not recognize me. In any event, some of the members were discussing why Leonardo is seldom depicted doing anything other than ninjitsu. He hardly if ever cooks or drives or operates anything that requires domestic or technological skill. As often happens with me, this thought grew into a plot bunny and a question came to mind. _

"_What DOES Leonardo do when no one's around? "_

_Could have been a great title, I guess, but I like the play on words with Chicanery Row. Cannery Row, get it? Cannery/Chicanery? However, nothing of my story will reflect John Steinbeck's classic work. _

_Anyway, enough of that, but let it be known that I__ have the hardest time writing humor, so I don't know how this will read. I've made so many revisions to what I originally wrote, shortening things, and changing stuff, that I've become jaded with the overall effect. In short, I've become immuned to the story. __My son read the last few lines and admitted that it needed 'something'. He suggested maybe 'CRASH', 'BOOM', 'BANG' to describe things, but, I dunno; that would make it read like a comic strip and that's not what I'm writing. _

_In any event, I wish to thank those on Stealthy Stories who graciously offered many ideas for me! As I use them, I will give credit where credit is due (unless I forget, but I'll try not to forget, okay?). Right now, though, we need an intro. :0) _

_It is obvious that I am not the owner of the TMNT's or any of their copyrighted constituents. I am only borrowing, so build a bridge and get over it, okay? LOL. _

_**xxxxx**_

'**Chicanery' Row'**

by reinbeauchaser

_**xxxxx**_

**Chapter One - The Question**

"Hey, Mikey, ya eveh notice how boring Leo is?"

Mike laughed, "If that's supposed to be earth shattering news, bro, it's not even a minus on the Richter scale!"

Raph rolled his eyes and chuckled lightly, as Mike stood up from his seat and walked over to the pantry. He took a quick look inside and soon found a bag of cookies. Grinning wide, he snagged it, and then spun on his heels, returning to his seat at the kitchen table.

"Leo's always boring, Raph, so what's new," Mike sniggered as he sat back down in his chair.

As his brother ripped open the bag, Raphael remarked, "Nothing, it's just…th'guy doesn't do anythin'."

"Oh I wouldn't say he doesn't do _anything_, Raph," Don remarked, as he walked into the room. He went over to the refrigerator and opened it. After he grabbed a soda, Don popped the tap, "I mean he's always thinking about strategy and stuff, ya know, just in case we run into the Foot." Sipping his drink, Don went and sat down in one of the vacant chairs, joining his brothers at the table.

"Yeah, yeah," Raph swatted Don's comment aside, "tell me somethin' I don't know, but - I mean - otheh than katas and battle strategies, Leo's borin'."

After a moment, Mike offered, "He meditates," before shoving a handful of cookies into his mouth. While he munched, he leaned back in his chair and looked from one brother to the other, waiting for their response.

While Mike chewed, Raph "_Hmmm'ed"_ to himself, mentally considering his brother's input. Finally, he reluctantly agreed, "Okay, okay, add 'thinking lofty thoughts' to th'quation, but otheh than that? Zip, zilch, nada…the guy's as excitin' as _rock_!"

Mike and Don both smiled and nodded silently. Soon, all three brothers quietly contemplated the topic at hand. It _was_ an interesting observation. What _did_ Leo do all day, other than the obvious? While they pondered this mystery, the ticking of the kitchen wall clock chimed softly above them.

"Ever notice that Leo never cooks?" Mike suddenly remarked and too loudly, it seemed, as it caused Raph to shoot a worried glance towards the kitchen doorway. Mike grinned at him, "On edge, bro?' and scarfed a few more cookies.

"No, just…" Raph studied the doorway before addressing his little brother. With his voice unnaturally quiet, "don't want Leo walkin' in on our little conversation, s'all." He then smirked, "You know how he gets…he'll think we're up t'somethin'."

"Thought that was Mikey's job," Don grinned, taking another swallow from his can.

"Hardy har har," Mike sing-songed, sticking out a crumb-coated tongue, before reiterating, "ANYway, I've noticed that Leo hardly ever cooks."

"Yeah, Mikey, I think yer right," Raph smiled in agreement, "I don't believe I've eveh seen him makin' anythin' othah than tea. Anythin' more complicated, he just asks you t'do it."

"Not that I mind, but…well…maybe…he's culinary-challenged?"

"Culin-whata, Mike?"

"Mike means Leo can't cook, Raphael." Don added dryly, as he took another gulp from his can.

"Ohhh."

"And speaking of which, Leo's never shown interest in learning how to operate the Battleshell or the computer, either."

"What does THAT have t'do with scramblin' eggs, Brainiac?"

"Nothing, Raph," Don shrugged, "But the fact remains, anything requiring skill and know-how with domestic duty or with technology, Leo finds something else to do."

Raphael's eyes brightened, "Hey, ya might be on t'somethin', bro, I see the…ah…ah…_correlation_!"

Mike chuckled, "Is _correlation_ your big word for the day, Raphie?"

"Zip it, Mike, I've used a dictionary b'fore," and then Raphael snapped his fingers as a sudden thought occurred, "Hey, maybe Leo LIKES us to believe that he's boring, just so we don't expect too much from'em, otheh than leading." He sat up straight in his chair, now, excited with his next thought, "That way…" his eyeridges pinched together as he desperately tried to think of a reason, "Umm…that way..." Raph's excitement quickly faded, though, as nothing came to mind. With his brow furrowing deeper, he planted his elbows on top the table in frustration, chin in hand, brooding.

However, as Raph let out a long breathy sigh, Don seemed to have an epiphany.

"That way…" he declared excitedly, "Leeeo…_always_ looks like the _brother_ **totally** committed to ninjitsu." He smiled wide, certain he had figured it out. Donatello took another swig of his cola and leaned back in his chair, quite satisfied. He saw a slow smile begin to grow on Raphael's snout, a pleased expression blooming on his brother's face.

"Yeeeaah! And **that way**…" Raph declared, but he had spoken rather loudly, as Mike had done a moment earlier, so he quickly gave a wide-eyed glance at the door again. Mike and Don did the same, equally concerned. In unison, all three now stared at the opening, each holding their breath, waiting apprehensively. After a moment and when assured that Leo would not be walking in on them, Raph let out a relieved sigh.

With his excitement returning once more and keeping his voice low this time, Raphael continued with his train of thought, "THAT way, Leo procures Master Splinter's favah and makes th'rest of us look bad!" He grinned, now, "Don, yer genius, _pure_ genius," and then happily slapped his brother on the back and stood up. While Raph swaggered over to the refrigerator, Don bowed his head, grinning, accepting the praise.

As his brother in red grabbed a soda from the appliance's interior, Mike gave him a sideways glance and smirked, "_Procures_? Wow, Raphie, you certainly _have_ been reading the dictionary, haven't you!"

"Ah, shaddup, Mike." Raphael growled, going back to his chair and sat down again.

Mikey grinned, his hands up in defense, "Hey, bro, great you're broadening your vocabulary. I'm good with it!"

"I'll broaden your mouth if ya don't quit punkin' me," Raph harrumphed, tipping his chair back, and taking a drink from his can. As he balanced on the chair's rear legs, Raphael rocked back and forth, his smile returning. He looked over at Donnie, "So how're we gonna pull that rug out from unda Leo?"

"Rug?" Mike laughed, sputtering bits of cookie crumbs from his mouth, "I thought we were talking about Leo's domestic skills, not his room decor?"

"Mike," Don chuckled, "Raph means how are we going to prove Leo's only dissimulating ineptitude while he adulates Sensei with his perfect student act?"

Raph and Mike both stared at Don as if he had grown a second head.

After a moment of thinking, Raph asked, "What does imitating Leo's attitude have to do with math?"

Now it was Don's turn to roll his eyes, "InEPtitude, meaning unskill…oh, forget it. Let's just think of how we can corroborate - **prove** - Leo's more than what he seems, okay?"

Both Raph and Mike grinned in unison, "Okay!"

The three sat quietly around the table, one munching, two guzzling; the trio an intense study of contemplation. In fact, a nice kind of peace enveloped the three, the murmuring of the wall clock the only interruption. It didn't take long before each brother fell deep in thought considering this conundrum named Leonardo, their minds focusing only on the enigma at hand.

After a few moments, Don's face brightened. He took a quick sip from his can, to whet his next words, but before he could swallow, the brother in question unexpectedly walked into the kitchen.

"So, how's it hanging, guys."

Leonardo's abrupt entrance startled his three brothers so surprisingly, that it caused Raphael to lose his balance. He tried to reach for support, hands frantically grabbing air as he attempted to latch on to the table's edge, but - it was far too late. His chair completed its backward slant.

With a resounding crash and as his three brothers looked on in stunned surprise, Raphael fell hard along the concrete floor, wide-eyed and swearing a blue streak.


	2. The Interruption

_**Disclaimer - **Humor, it's all in the timing. Can't say if I succeeded here, but I certainly worked hard enough on it. I must have re-written this chapter a half-dozen times, or more and you might classify some of the following events as cliché, but - well - it is what it is. And, for the record, I don't own diddly, other than the story. _

xxxxxx

**Chapter 2 - The Interruption **

As Raphael toppled over backwards, Don and Mike exploded into loud, riotous laughter.

Unfortunately, for both of them, they forgot what they were doing just before.

The moment Don busted up, cause and effect came into play. Almost immediately, carbonated soda shot from his nose with a sudden and painful velocity.

"OWOWOW, tha' hurs' tha' HURS!!" he bellowed in agony. He furiously rubbed his snout and bounced in his chair, tears streaming down his anguished face.

With two brothers to amuse him, now, Mike reacted accordingly; he laughed harder than before.

It was a stupid thing to do.

With cookie crumbs spraying in every direction and as he pointed an amused finger at his genius brother, Mike giggled, "Donnie, oh, yer _killing_ me, _hahahahaha_!" and then slapped the table for emphasis.

However, as abrupt as his brother's predicament developed, Mike became strangely quiet, his laughter coming to a grinding halt. Leaning forwards a little, like a man standing perilously close to the edge of a cliff, the turtle tried to take a careful breath. Only, it didn't take long before the poor turtle discovered that he couldn't. Then, he began a coughing fit.

With all that was going on, though, Leo could do little but stand there in the doorway and watch the events as they unfolded. And, as Mike began hacking, he just couldn't help himself.

"Hey, Raph, what'd Sensei warn you about sitting in the chair like that, and Don, Mikey? You two shouldn't put so much in your…"

"SHADDUP, Leo," Raph hollered, his personal thesaurus of profanity already exhausted. Climbing to his feet and righting his chair, "Splintah ain't here, and you ain't our master!"

Leo shook his head and chuckled, "Then it serves all three of you right. You should know better."

Raph growled and shot his brother a searing look and then dropped back into his chair again, deflated.

Leo smiled in smug satisfaction, but then Mike's worsening cough grabbed his attention, and the more desperate Mikey coughed, the more strangled he sounded. Now, his remaining two brothers' were also looking at him in concern and it didn't take long before all three realized that their youngest brother was in trouble.

Before anyone could move to help him, Mike quickly snatched Don's can of coke from him.

"Hey, that's my…" Don protested, as he tried to reclaim his soda.

Leaning away from Don and thereby keeping just beyond his brother's reach, Mike quickly drained the can of its beverage. When he finished, the turtle in orange belched, coughed once, and finally tried to inhale. A deep, raspy breath raked across his vocal chords, now, but at least he was breathing and for that, Michelangelo was thankful!

Then, taking yet another breath, Mike looked up at Leo and croaked, "Hey…Leo…heh heh," he wheezedweakly grinning, "Kind of _- cough - _surprised us there _- cough, cough_." Just as Mike tried to give another disarming laugh, though, one last cookie crumb shot its way into his lungs and, once more, he started wheezing all over again.

This time, Mikey shot from his chair and rushed to the kitchen sink. He had the water going in no time at all, with his mouth full on the faucet, and gulping like an oxygen-starved fish. After a long anxious moment, he finally came up for air and, when he was certain he had recovered, slowly turned the water off. Now, he gripped the edge of the sink for support. Laying his head down against the cool tile, he inhaled carefully, taking air gradually, experimentally. When Mike could finally breathe again without coughing, he sighed in relief.

As he collapsed back into his seat, exhausted, Mikey gave Leo another weary glance, grinning weakly, "Yeah, kind of… ah…surprised us?"

"You okay, Mikey?" Don asked worriedly, laying a concerned hand on his brother's carapce.

"Yeah, kid, ya gave us a scare for a moment," Raph remarked, cuffing his youngest brother's arm.

"S'kay, I'm fine - I think," Mike rasped, smiling a little, "But, that was pretty intense."

_Something's up with these guys, _Leo thought."Glad you're okay, Mikey, but…what's going on here? You're all acting…kind of skittish." he asked and raised an accusing eyeridge.

Don, already his normal self, forced a smile, acting as if what just happened hadn't happened. He turned around in his chair, with one arm draped across the back, and gave Leo an innocent a face, "Everything's great, Leo. What's…up with…you?" he sniffed, wiping his snout with the back of his other hand.

"Ah…nothing, _much_," Leo shrugged, "what's up with _**you **_guys?"

Raph shrugged in return, "Nothin', bro, just sittin' here, kick'n back," and then he casually took a sip from his can.

Leonardo studied them suspiciously, before asking, "You guys sure nothing's wrong?"

"Hey, Splinteh Junior, need to relax a bit; things couldn't be any bettah!" Raph grumped, "Just lost my balance s'all."

"Yeah, sure…" Leo chuckled, walking over to the stove, "you always fall out of your chair, right, Raph? And Mike always chokes on his food." Leo smirked wider, looking at his third brother, "And I think this is the first time in a long while that I've seen Don's spray soda out his nose. That was pretty funny," he laughed.

Don blushed, but Leo ignored him _and_ Raphael's irritated scowl. Instead, he took up the teakettle and went over to the sink to fill it with water.

Mikey waggled his eye-ridges at Don and Raph, silently mouthed, '_Watch this!'_ "Hey, Leo, need some help, there, bro?" he asked eagerly, preparing to get up out of his chair.

"No, I'm fine; I can do this, Mikey," Leo waved his brother back down, "Sensei wanted a cup of tea, so I'm getting it for him."

Sitting with his back to Leo, Raph lipped, _"Suck up."_

Don and Mikey had all they could do to keep from laughing.

Then, once again, quiet filled the kitchen, the sound of running water and the soft tick from the clock the only noise.

As he waited for the kettle to fill, Leo curiously glanced around at the trio gathered at the table. No one said a thing and no one even looked at him; it was as if nothing at all had happened. It was very strange and Leo couldn't help but feel that something wasn't quite right.

"You sure everything's okay, you three seem…too _quiet_."

"Somethin' wrong with quiet, Leo?" Raph snapped; his voice flat and gravelly, "Is there a _rule_ here that we have t'talk or somethin'?"

"Wellll…no…but…" Leo shrugged, and then gave a nod towards Mike, "kind of unusual with Mike in the room, don'cha think?" and then he turned around to shut the water off.

With his back turned, Leonardo didn't see Mikey stick his tongue out or the smirk on Don and Raph's face, which was just as well, since Leonardo's suspicions would have spiked for sure.

"It's just kind of weird that you three would be in the same room not discussing something." Leo said offhandedly, glancing back at his brothers again, before placing the kettle on the stove.

"Yeah, well, maybe today's a day for weird, Leo," Raph chuckle, downing the rest of his soda.

Once Leo had the burner going under the teakettle, he stood there, waiting for the water to boil. Arms crossed, he would occasionally look back curiously at his brothers. Still, no one at the table looked his way or said anything.

He thought it all quite odd.

"Well, whatever is _not_ going on," Leonardo finally said, turning back to watch the teakettle, and adding, "don't let it interfere with your regular duties, okay?"

"Sure thing, Leo…OW! Hey, that hurt!" Mike complained as he rubbed his head.

"Oh, my bad, Mikey," Raph chirped. He stood up and grinned mischievously, "Wasn't looking where I was swingin' m'hand, too bad ya got in th'way." and then he pushed his chair back and stretched, suddenly announcing, "Well, think I've run outta things t'say, so I'll go'n visit Casey." He next lobbed his empty can into the trash, "Two-points, nothin' but air," before pivoting around to leave. As an afterthought, he stopped and turned, "Say, Don, Case is havin' trouble gettin' th'timin' right on his hog. Asked me th'last time I was ovah to see you if you'd help 'em figure't out."

"Hey, why not now, I have time."

"Radical!" Raph grinned, high five-ing Don as his brother stood up to join him.

Leo couldn't help but turn to witness the interaction, too. It was all quite curious. For Case to ask Don for help was like asking Hulk Hogan to invite Stephen Hawkings over to discuss the science and mysteries of _wrestling_. Besides, where it concerned motorcycles, Leo knew that Raph and Case were quite mechanical enough to handle any problems.

As Don and Raphael prepared to leave the kitchen, "Hey, can I come along?" Mikey begged, suddenly standing up from his seat. His eyes were wide and pleading, the way they usually were when he wanted something.

Raph and Don stopped at the kitchen doorway and looked back at their baby brother. Mike's puppy-dog eyes were now in full bloom.

Raphael finally sighed, almost whining, "I dunno, Mike; last time you were at Casey's…" he glanced at Don, who nodded in understanding.

Leo watched the interaction, intrigued - and quite amused.

"I won't touch your tools, Don, I swear!" Mike insisted, hands up in supplication "And I need t'get some fresh air, anyway; I'm stifling down here, and Case has that big screen TV, and my favorite show's gonna be on soon and…"

"I dunno Don, what'd'ya think," Raph interrupted, snorting once, "can we trust'em?" Raph tried to sound inconvenienced.

Donatello let out a long, punctuated sigh, "Wellll…if Mikey _really_ wants to come and so long as he stays out of our way, I guess…"

"COOL!" Mike then jumped with eager abandon to join Don and Raph by the kitchen door.

"Hey, guys?"

The threesome turned and glanced back at Leo. "Yeah?" they chorused.

Leonardo smiled, "We patrol at ten. So don't be late!"

Chuckling, Mike cheered, "We won't, bro," and then he, Raph and Don quickly made haste from the room and out of the lair.

Leo's gaze lingered for a moment on the now-empty kitchen, quite perplexed with his brothers' behavior. It was all very, very odd indeed!

Suddenly, the teakettle's urgent whistle brought Leonardo back to his present task. Dismissing his concerns for now, the turtle quickly turned the burner off, procured a cup from one of the shelves, and went about making his master's tea.


	3. The Genius

_**Disclaimer - **Once again, I only own the story. Any revenues I receive from said story are devoid of any monetary gain. I'll get blood out of turnip before I could earn even a penny from writing this._

xxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 3 - The Genius **

"Don, you sure this'll work?" Raph asked, unconvinced

As his brother in read leaned his carapace against the workbench, Don replied, not bothering to look up, "Raph, stop fretting like a mother hen, okay? Trust me, this will work." and then picked up a screwdriver to twiddle some more with his project.

"Okay, but you know Leo's already suspicious," Raph reminded him, folding his arms across his plastron, and shifting his balance a bit. The table jiggled slightly, causing Don to pause for a second. He glanced up at his brother and scowled disapprovingly, who smirked back at him.

Finally, Don sighed, "I know he's suspicious, Raph, and that's why this is going to work."

"And why's that?" a third voice queried behind him, "Cuz a suspicious Leonardo is an obsessive Leonardo; he won't rest until he finds out what's going on!"

Don swiveled quickly around in the chair, quite irritated, his eyes huge behind his pair of magnified glasses.

It gave Mike quite a start. "Whoa, DUDE! Warn me next time you go animae," he sputtered, hand to chest. 

"Cute, Mike."

"Seriously, dude, those eyes give me the creeps."

Don sighed "Whatever…but to answer your question, Mikey, it's been a week since Leo walked in on us in the kitchen and you know any prank older than two days has already expired. Everyone knows you can't hold out for that long."

"Hey!" Mike protested, hands on hips, "we're in this together, remember that. 'Sides, Raph's the one who brought the subject up in the first place and you're the one with the idea how to spy on Leo." He grinned smugly, jerking a thumb to his plastron, "I'm just going along for the ride. This time, I'm innocent."

"Yeah, but who's gonna believe ya, doofus? With yer track record…" Raph sniggered.

"And who's gonna believe I would have the brains to do what we're doing?" Mike shot back derisively.

"He's got a point, there."

"Keep workin', brainiac," Raph growled, firmly nudging Don's shoulder. Chuckling under his breath, Don turned went back to his project.

"So, how many did you get Casey to buy, Donnie?"

"Enough for every room, Mike," Don replied evenly, "with several for some rooms, in order to give multiple angles, like the dojo and living area."

"Not the bathroom, right?" Raph asked worriedly.

Don grinned up at him.

"I mean it, Einstein. If I find a camera in there, I'm gonna shove it down your throat or up your…"

"Don't worry, Raph, I do have some ethics after all," Donnie chuckled some more.

A long pregnant pause followed before Mike asked, "You sure Leo won't find 'em, Donnie?"

"Will you two quit it?" Donatello stopped what he was doing to turn and glare up at both brothers. His annoyance was quite noticeable this time, "Worrying about it is only going to tip Leo off that we're up to something. He'll sense it for sure."

"You said he's already knows," Mikey stated earnestly.

"All he knows is that we were talking about our different roles in the clan the other day, that's all I told him."

"How convincing were you, Donnie?"

"Raph, I told him we were just comparing ourselves and our skills," Don held up the item he was working on and studied it, "and what we know," he looked up at his brother in red,"…and then one of us mentioned him and since he wasn't there, we each gave our own point of view. That's all." Don put the object back down on the bench and picked up his screwdriver again.

"Was he offended?" Mikey asked curiously, smirking.

Giving Mike a quick glance before training his attention back to his present task, Don shrugged and said, "No, because I…sort of…built him up a bit, made him think we three secretly admire him, sort of told him it was kind of a hush-hush thing, that you guys would kill me if he found out how you really felt about him."

Raph sighed, growling, as he pushed away from the desk, "Ya had t'say that, huh? Great, now his head's gonna be bigger than usual."

"I doubt it, Raph," Don chuckled, "his head's already pretty big…but…he did seem rather pleased."

"Figures," Raph grumped, thoroughly disgusted with the idea of an even more pompous Leonardo.

Mikey eased alongside his seated brother, though, and leaned into the table. Turning towards Don and narrowing his eyes, "Soooo…Donnie, how did Leo _reeeally_ react?"

Don sighed tiredly, "He sort of smiled, Mike."

"How, Don? Did he give you one of those non-smile smiles?" Mike's eyes widened, "Cuz if he did, he knows more than you think he does."

"Actually," Don paused in his work again and looked up at his youngest brother, "Leo smiled very big, like this," and gave Mike a very wide imitation of his older brother's grin, "and he seemed quite satisfied, too." The turtle in purple shook his head "I'm certain Leo didn't hear anything we said, other than what I told him."

"So says he," Raph grumbled, pushing away from the table, "Leave it to Leo to play dumb."

"Thought that was Mike's job…" Don began.

"Hey, I resent that."

Both Raph and Don laughed.

Ignoring his brothers for the moment, "So, where's the camera again?" Mike tried to get a good view of the clock in Donnie's hand.

"In the screw that holds the hands in place, see, right there in the middle," Don pointed with the screwdriver.

Mike studied the clock's hands for a long moment and finally shrugged, "Can't see it, bro. You sure?"

"Yep and that's the beauty of it. It has a remote radio head, a wireless connection. Whenever there's movement in the room, the camera will activate, instantly transmitting the video feed into my computer. We'll have a record of what anyone's doing in the kitchen.

After a few more adjustments, Don announced cheerily, "There, now let's see if the connection is working." He left the clock on the desk and rolled his chair over to his computer. Moving the mouse along his screensaver to an icon of a big eye, which blinked sporadically, he clicked it. Soon a picture popped up on the monitor. It showed a clear, near perfect view of the ceiling. Don smiled triumphantly, but as he leaned in closer to the screen to check out the detail, an orange-masked face suddenly filled the view.

"GAHHH!" Don nearly screamed, jumping back in his chair, hand to chest. He quickly looked around and saw Mikey with the clock, holding it an inch from his face, and grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat. "Put that down, Mike, before you drop it."

"Hey, look at that, it's ME!" Mikey crowed when he saw his image on the PC screen, but then recoiled with a sudden jerk as Raph slapped him upside the head.

"Hey, doofus, look, it's _me_!"

"Ow, Raphie, stop it," Mike rubbed his head, "I was only making sure it worked, s'all."

"It works so put it down."

"Okay, okay, what a grouch," Mike chuckled and put the clock back onto Don's workbench, "So, while we were at Casey's watching the vid with Leo, where else did you put cameras, Donnie?"

"Not going to say where the others are. I just want to make sure that when we're all in the kitchen, you guys know where to sit so that Leo faces the camera. But, I don't want anyone hamming it up." Don folded his arms across his plastron determinedly, "Otherwise, Leo will definitely figure out that we're up to something. "

"Don, you're talking about Mikey, here, he's always hamming it up."

"No, Raph, I'm talking about you. Like you said, Mike is _always_ hamming it up; Leo won't suspect a thing."

"Hey, I don't ham it up; I'm the angry one, remembeh?"

"Yeah, well, I don't want to give you an excuse to change, okay, Raph? This is an important experiment and I don't want anything tipping Leo off."

Mike sniggered at Raphael's sour expression and walked over to the computer, "So, let me get this straight, Donnie. The cameras have motion sensors that activate them and then anytime Leo's in a room…"

"Actually, when anyone's in a room, the cameras will start recording," Don smiled, "I've included a heat sensor, too, and adjusted it to our core temperature, so as long as one of us is in the room, it will keep recording, sending the signals to my computer. I have plenty of DVD's to fill up, so we should be able to log all activity in the lair for a week or so, before I have to buy more discs. Plus, we'll just make sure not to be gone for longer than the DVD's can record."

"Cool!" Mike chirped happily.

"By the way, how much did this put us back?" Raphael asked, picking up a socket wrench and casually inspected it.

"Actually," Don grinned, "Case and April sprung for it. They're just as interested to find out what Leo does when no ones around as we are!"

"Even cooler!" Mike brightened.

"Blackmail material," Raph chirped evilly as he put the wrench down. Don and Mike both smiled.

"And how long do we keep this going, Donnie?"

"I don't know, Mike; maybe a week, or a month?" Don glanced at both brothers, each nodding in agreement. As he stood up, "Well, this is the last camera, so I better put the clock back before they get home."

Raph smiled and then turned to leave the room, "Guess I'll call Case and tell'em he can get bored with the video, now. Mike, you call April and tell her she doesn't have to baby-sit Splinter anymore."

"That was a brilliant idea, bro," Mike slapped his brother on the arm, "Having Casey call us over to watch Band of Brothers, knowing that Don hates the movie!"

"Yeah," Don grinned, "Gave me plenty of time to install the cameras while you guys were out!"

"And our timing couldn't have been better with the soap opera marathon going on, either, Raphie," Mike added, "Getting April to invite Splinter over to watch it was a stroke of genius!"

"Yep, every one in a while," Raph grinned, "I can even outshine Donnie!"

"You wish!" Don rolled his eyes.

Mike sniggered and then looked over at Don, "So, how long have they been gone, now?"

"I think ten hours or so,"

"Should almost have the entire series down by now," Raph smirked.

"I bet Case and Ap will be more than ready to send them home, too," Mikey chuckled.

"Which means, we better split up before they come back," Don decided, dusting the clock off with a bandana tail. He then glanced at his brother in red as Raphael turned to leave, "By the way, Raph, what did you promise them for taking care of Leo and Master Splinter?"

"Um, other than copies of the video, not much, Donnie…" Raph mumbled and then quickly left the room without another word.

"That was…odd," Donnie remarked.

"There must have been something more, otherwise…"

"Yeah, Mikey, otherwise Raph wouldn't have left that quick." Don quirked a brow, pursing his lips curiously, "Well, anyway - we better get going, I think we have about four hours before we have to go patrolling and I need a nap before then."

Mike yawned wide and nodded, "Yeah, sounds good t'me. See ya in a few, bro" and he left the room to grab a few zees.

As the last of his two brothers left the workroom, Don watched Mike go. Then, a small smile grew along his snout. Chuckling to himself, Donatello grabbed the clock to take it back to the kitchen, humming a little tune, and knowing that the cameras would definitely come in handy - one way or the other.


	4. The Evidence

**_Disclaimer _- **_Once again, it bears repeating, I only own the story. And the eggs - the bacon, the muffins, the cream, etc... Enjoy! _

_xxxxxx _

**Chapter 4 - The Evidence **

"Hurry up, will ya, Don!" Raph grumped impatiently.

"Yeah, dude, I've been - like - hyper all day, wondering what we caught!"

"Mikey, when are ya NOT hyper?"

Mike laughed and playfully punched Raph in the arm, grinning, "Yeah, dude, like - never?"

Raph chuckled and turned to his other brother again,"So, how long, genius?"

"Hey, I have to first finalize the DVD before it can play. Give it time, Raph!"

"Don, Leo's going to be back any moment with dinner."

"Raph, don't you think I know that?"

"Kind of odd, though," Mike remarked, "that Leo sprung for buying dinner tonight?" He thought about that and then, "Hey, guys, maybe we should do this later, like when Leo's sleeping or something?"

Raph shook his head. "Won't do, he'll know we're awake and then try to find out why. 'Sides, I don't think that guy _ever_ sleeps!"

Mike gave a knowing nod and dismissed his concern.

Finally, after a few more minutes, Donnie smiled hugely, " Eureka, it's ready!"

"So play it, already!" Raph urged, rubbing his hands in anticipation.

"I am, I am, just give it a sec, okay?" Don replied, smiling, "It has to find the correct file and from what I can tell, it's the cam from the dojo."

As he sat in front of his computer and waited, Don grinned expectantly. He was just as anxious as his brothers were, realizing that this was it; this was the 'moment of truth'. They had waited an extra two days, in fact, just to divert Leo from sensing any trouble, something he had a knack for doing. Raph had even started a fight with Mikey, much to Mike's surprise, of course, because both Don and Raph knew that Mike's reaction had to be authentic, otherwise, Leo would know he was faking it.

_Ninja or not, that kid can't fake anything,_ Don mused silently.

Nevertheless, it worked, although both brothers ended up having to do extra practice, which didn't put Mike in a good mood, which was all the better, of course. Didn't help at all when both Raph and Don explained things later, either.

_"How come you didn't pick on Donnie, though?" Mike had complained. _

_Raph had shrugged in dismissal, "I never pick on Donnie, Mike," _

_"Might consider adding HIM to you're bullying list, I'm getting tired of the job!" _

_"Hey," Don tried to reason with him, "we had to use a believable cover and for Raph to give me grief would definitely make Leo - and Sensei - suspicious!" _

_"Don, sometimes I think you're too smart for your own good; certainly for mine!" and then Mike had stormed off to his room, grumbling under his breath about the woes of being the youngest. _

Don smiled at the memory but then his thoughts returned to the present. This recording would be the first of many featuring Leo alone in the lair. Now, this was it, this was when…and then the video came to life on the monitor, interrupting Don's thoughts.

Once the picture came into focus, all three stared and - after allowing a moment to register what they were seeing - all three brothers suddenly gasped.

But it was Don, though, who uttered the first exclamation, his words meticulously punctuated, "**Oh. My. GAWD**."

Mike nearly shrieked, pointing, "Would'ya look it THAT!"

"What - in the world - is he _doing_?" Raph questioned, leaning his hands along the top of Don's carapace, squinting at the screen. Soon, a generous smile began forming on his face, his eyes widening in disbelief, "I…can't believe what I'm looking at, is Leo really doing what I think he's doing?"

Trembling with suppressed laughter and with one hand clapped over his mouth, Don muffled a loud, riotous bark, "I think he **is**". Then, between fingers, he snickered, "I think Leo's…doing a - a pirou-_hee-heehee_-ette," and busted up laughing again.

"What's a piro-heehee-ette, Don?" Mikey asked, snorting chuckles.

"Pirouette, Mike," Don corrected, laughing even more, "It's a - _hahaha_ - type of...of...ballet spin!"

In hysterics, Raph and Mike both dropped to the floor, each gasping for air as they howled in amusement.

Don continued to stare at the screen, though, laughing as well, but after a moment, he calmed down, saying. "Seriously, guys, I had NOOOO idea we'd find _THIS_!" Wiping a tear from his eye, "I wonder what else Leo did…"

As Don clicked the fast forward indicator on the screen, Mike and Raph both scrambled to their feet and stood behind Don, watching the computer again, as the image advanced. While the scene quickly played through, they saw a rather comical Leonardo doing a high-speed rendition of Swan Lake.

Of course, it only made it more hilarious.

And, of course, all three brothers laughed louder than before.

"Should have added a microphone to this, Donnie," Mike chortled, "Would have loved to know what kind of music Leo's dancing to! GAH…this is killing me, just _killing_ me!" he snickered.

Don suddenly hushed him, "Hey, guys we need to keep it down…Sensei might hear us!" Yet, even he had trouble keeping his giggles under control. Watching a DVD of a very serious and staunch Leonardo impersonate a ballerina was almost more than Donatello could handle.

"The only thin' that's missin' is…is…" Raph chortled, "is Leo wearin' a…pink** TUTU**!" He busted up again and Mike grabbed him for support, both holding on to each other to keep from collapsing in hysterics.

Finally, the scene on the monitor switched and now Leo seemed to be in another room. Don quickly released the fast forward indicator. It stopped showing Leonardo walking into the kitchen. With the camera installed in the wall clock, it gave a bird's eye view of the room.

Now, the three brothers observed Leonardo as he went over to the refrigerator. After opening the door, he took out a carton of eggs, a package of Canadian bacon, butter, and then cream. He placed them on the table behind him and reached back inside the appliance to bring out a couple of lemons from the produce drawer. After he placed the pair of small, yellow globes on the table to join the other selections, he reached into the refrigerator again and procured a bag of English muffins.

After he had collected his ingredients, Leonardo allowed the door to close on its own while he went about retrieving two saucepans from one of the lower cabinets. He positioned both on top the stove, each resting on a burner, before turning back to the table again.

"What in the world is he gonna do with that?"

"Raph, if I'm not mistaken, Leo's…going to _cook_!" Mike remarked, folding his arms before dropping into a German accent, "Deess should be **veeedddry** interrrestinct!" He cocked one eyeridge and watched his brother curiously.

Now, the three brothers were rabid with fascination as Leonardo went about preparing his meal.

After a moment, though, Mike glanced down at Don and asked, somewhat perturbed, "What time was this?"

Don glanced at the lower right-hand side of the screen and then back up at his brother, "About 10:30 this morning."

"That was like thirty minutes after I left to see Case, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, Raph," Don concurred, just as surprised as his brother was, "and ten minutes after Mike and I left to go check out the new junk yard."

"Not that I wanted to go."

"Hey, Mike," Don glanced at him and said, "I needed an extra pair of arms, just in case we hit pay dirt!"

"In other words, Mikey," Raphael winked, "Don needed a mule."

"I DID not!"

"Did, too, Don," Mike shot back, his irritation growing, "Could have used a shopping cart for all the stuff you made me carry back to the lair!"

"Hey, at least in our absence," Don irritably jerked a thumb towards the monitor, "the cams gave us THIS!"

"Yeah, yeah, don't get yer panties in a twist, Einstein," Raph snickered.

"You know what's really aggravating, though." Mike's attitude seemed to tank, now, and he looked at both brothers petulantly, "I fixed a really big breakfast this morning, went all out, and Leo barely ate any of it!"

"Maybe he doesn't like your cookin?" Raph smiled.

"Since WHEN?"

"Maybe…he wasn't hungry?" Don suggested.

"I'd rather believe that, dudes!"

Both Don and Raph chuckled at Mike, but when they turned back to the monitor again, they discovered their bantering had caused them to miss what Leo did with the gathered ingredients. Now as they watched, their elder brother seemed to be toasting the muffins. They waited as _he_ waited for the toast to pop and, after a bit of time, the appliance regurgitated the now-golden discs.

Quickly, Leo retrieved the muffins and placed them onto a plate. He then layered a slice of cooked Canadian bacon on each and took a slotted spoon to scoop a freshly poached egg from one of the pans on the stove. He placed the egg on one of the prepared muffins and then plucked another from the same pan and positioned on the second toasted disc.

After that, Leo took up a hot pad and grabbed the second saucepan from the stove, next spooning some of its contents over each egg. Transparent tendrils of steam rose above the open-faced sandwiches as the semi-thick yellowish sauce oozed over the concoction.

After placing the pan back onto the stove, again, Leo turned to survey his handiwork.

He smiled, quite pleased with himself.

"Eggs BENEDICT?" Mike exclaimed in surprise and then repeated his statement in a rush, "Eggs**BENEDICT**?!" Thoroughly stunned, he couldn't help but gape at the monitor, "That takes…a bit of cooking know-how, know what I mean?! That little creep's been using me…all these years, Leo's pretended to be as clumsy in the kitchen as a three legged giraffe!"

"Interesting metaphor, Mikey," Raph cocked his head and smiled, amused.

"Ever seen a three-legged giraffe?" Don queried with a grin.

"No, but…**WAIT**," Mike squeaked angrily, "what's he doing, _now_?" and peered over his genius brother's shoulder to get a better look at the screen.

"I think - Leo's eating - it." Raphael snickered.

"Yeah, I can see that, Raph, but he didn't make it for Sensei?"

"Guess not, Mike." his brother shrugged.

"That little creep can cook eggs benedict for himself, but not for Master Splinter?!"

"For all we know, Mike, Leo may very well cook for Master Splinter."

"Then explain to me, _**Donnie**_, why Splinter has never asked Leo to cook something for _him_ while _we're_ still in the lair?"

Raphael and Donatello looked at each other and then at Mike, both nodding as they chorused, "Good point."

"Yeah, sure is…the little _creep_!" Mike growled, hunkering into his shell a bit, glaring narrowly at the screen, and feeling not the least bit happy.

_xxxxxxx _

**_Thanks to Littlefurryguy and Pacphys for ideas that spawned Leo's ballet. Thanks to Grimsqueaker, for the baking idea, although it morphed into Eggs Benedict. Does take some skill to do and I'm not certain about the recipe, but - hey, this is fiction, right? Anyway, cookies are far too easy, so I thought EB would more of a challenge, hence Mikey's disdain! LOL _**

_**TBC - of course! **_


	5. The Interruption Act 2

**Disclaimer - **Nope, don't own them, but it would be nice. Oh the fun I would have! Bwahahaha. :0)

xxxxxx

**Chapter 5 - The Interruption - Act Two **

The more Mike watched Leonardo on the screen, eating his snack, and apparently enjoying what he made, the more Mike grumbled. In fact, with each passing second, he sounded more and more like Raphael.

"All this time, ALL this TIME, the little _faker's_ been pretending to like my cooking! The little troll, so help me, the next time I cook…"

"Hey, Mike," Donatello interrupted, turning in his chair to look up at him, "I thought you said you didn't mind cooking for Leo."

"I don't, well…I didn't…at least not when I didn't think he could _cook_!" Mike grumped, "But now, NOW?" his head swaggered threateningly, "WELL, just **wait** until he asks me to make something for…"

"NO, Mike," Don shook his head quickly, "you have to continue doing the cooking, at least until we get enough evidence to prove that Leo can."

"Ah, Donnie, com'on," Mike pointed a furious finger, jabbing at the screen, "the guy's a phony; he's been taking advantage of me!"

Carefully, Don took Mikey's finger and gently pulled it way from his precious monitor, "Do NOT touch the screen!" he growled low, threateningly.

However, Mike was in a toot and so he stuck his tongue out, "Make me…" and then slumped in defeat, "Ah, sorry, Don," Mike pulled his hand free and then pouted, "But explain t'me why I can't at least…"

"NOT 'til we get more evidence, Mike!" Raph concurred sternly, "I'm sure there're more things our borin' brother can do that he doesn't want us knowin' about and if you go off on him, Leo'll know for sure we found him out - and he won't rest 'til he finds out how we did it, too!"

Giving it a quick thought, "Okayfine," Mike folded his arms and huffed indignantly, "but - doesn't mean I have t'like it!" He pouted in frustration and slouched some more into his shell, sneering menacingly at the scene. Slowly, his upper lip curled, as he watched every bite Leo took. After a moment, the orange-banded turtle grumbled, "And worse thing is - Leo seems to like his cooking, too. Bleh!" and then Mike stuck his tongue out.

When Leo had finished with his late morning snack, he sighed pleasantly. Then, his head suddenly perked, as if he heard something. Ninja quick, he shot from his chair, plate in hand, and had it and his fork washed, rinsed, and back in the cupboard so fast, it truly impressed the three 'spies' watching.

Temporarily forgetting his anger, "Wow, I know Leo's quick," Mike whispered in awe, "but - it's almost like you hit the fast-forward button again, Don!" The other two nodded in sober agreement, as Mike added, "And, without sound, we won't know if he was just as quiet, either."

"Note taken," Don sighed, mumbling half to himself, "Sound would have been nice, but I don't think I can add it at this time." As Leo continued to speed around the kitchen, though, Don remarked, "I wonder why he's rushing," and looked at the cam timer, "We didn't get back for several more hours; so he couldn't be concerned about our walking in on him."

Raph and Mike just shrugged, as clueless as Don was.

After Leo put his plate and utensils away, he quickly put the pans, unwashed, back under the counter.

"EW, Gross! I can't believe he did _that!"_ Mike nearly gagged and then shook himself free of the icky feelings.

Where Leo had already returned the unused portion of ingredients to the refrigerator before sitting down to eat, after he washed the utensils and had the dirty saucepans inside the cabinet, the kitchen looked very much like it did before he started cooking.

However, what he did next surprised his brothers even more.

Reaching far under the sink cabinet, the turtle in blue pulled out a small spray bottle. He quickly misted the air around him before quickly returning the bottle under the sink. Quietly closing the door, Leo then took up the teakettle. Two second later, Master Splinter came ambling into the room, cane in hand, and at the very moment when Leo placed the kettle down on the stove.

"Ah, so that's it, he heard Sensei coming!" Mike remarked derisively, "The little faker!"

"It also appears that Leo has discovered a chemical that suppresses cooking emanations!" Don mused softly, intrigued.

"Yeah, dude," Mike complained, "he seems t'use a room freshener, too! Figures."

"Huh?" Don glanced at Mike, "but, that's what I just…aw, never mind," Don smiled, "sometimes you amaze me, Mikey," and he shook his head.

"Yeah, I do that from time to time," Mike chirped happily.

Don chuckled and then glanced back at the screen again. Now, it looked as if Splinter was in the middle of asking Leonardo something and so Don interpreted, reading his sensei's lips, _"I thought I smelled something, my son; are - you cooking?" _

"Evidently, it doesn't work perfectly..." Raph sniggered, "…rather surprisin', too, considerin' Leo tries so hard to BE perfect!"

As the trio of brothers watched, Leo answered the rat, but this time Raphael supplied the translation, _"No Father, of course not, you know I can't cook, _(like SHELL he can't!). _Probably left over from when Mike made breakfast this morning. However,_ _I_ _was going to make you a cup of tea." _

Alow growl now rumbled from the red-wearing turtle, "You're right, Mikey," Raph seethed, "Leo's full of crap! What a phony!" and both Mike and Don nodded in eager agreement. "So, brainiac," Raph shot Don a petulant glance, "how long d'we hafta record 'em, cuz I want the day of reckonin' like Mikey wants revenge!"

Mike nodded enthusiastically, eyes bright as he turned expectantly to Donnie.

Don scratched the back of his neck and quirked his head up to look at both brothers towering over him, "Well, I think a week's worth should give us more than enough evidence."

"Okay, so then what do we do with it once we have it?" Mike asked sarcastically, "Host a _moooovie_ night?"

"Hey, ya know, that's actually a great idea, bro," Raph snapped his fingers, "a special _**edition**_ movie night, staring our fearless leader as his true self."

The brothers chuckled mischievously, imagining the look of horror on Leonardo's face when they showed him what they recorded.

Suddenly a voice from outside Don's workroom interrupted their revelry, "Hey, guys, dinner's here!"

"Cripes, shut that thing off!" Raph hissed, "Leo's back!"

"I am I am…" Don whispered, frantically dropping the video to reduce mode.

As the screen saver quickly took over the monitor, Leonardo poked his head into the room.

"Hey, Donnie, dinner's here…," and then Leo noticing that all three brothers were in the room, "Hey, guys, what's…going on?"

"Nothing," Mike said quickly and then flinched as Raphael whacked him from behind.

"Nothing?" Leo questioned, looking from Mike to Raph to Don and then back to Mike again. "Well, if it's nothing, then why are you three acting guilty?"

"Not guilty, just - just…" Mike stammered, only to have Don save the day.

"Okay," he sighed, "we were…chatting…"

"Chatting?" Leo quirked one eye-ridge at Don. The other two did likewise, but quickly changed back to their guilty expressions again. Leo's eyes widened even more, however, as he finally understood what Don meant, "Chatting…as in…_on LINE_?"

Don hung his head apologetically, "Yeah, sorry Leo, it's - kind of addicting, you know?" and then he turned back to the computer again, "I'll log-out, don't worry" and his fingers began flying over the keyboard.

"How many times has Splinter warned us that we need to be careful about that stuff?" Leo came fully into the room now, irritated.

"Hey, but at least we've made friends!" Mike cheered, smiling hugely, rushing up to Leo. Effectively blocking his view of Donnie, Mike giggled, "and they like us, Leo, they really, _really_ **like** us!" His antics gave Don enough time to close out the spy program, with Raphael moving over just enough to block the computer screen even more from Leonardo's line of sight.

Now focused on his youngest brother, "Mikey," Leo placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and looked deeply into Michelangelo's face, "I know how much you want people to like and accept us, but - we have to be careful. It's important to our survival, you should know this."

Mike sighed and hung his head, nodding a little as if reluctantly agreeing with his brother. "Yeah, yeah, I know, Leo," He looked up at him, then, his eyes big and watery, and his voice kind of sad sounding, "I…I just want friends, Leo; I NEED friends, Leo."

"You have us," the one blue squeezed his brother's shoulder affectionately, grinning wider, "brothers are the best of friends! And we have Ape and Casey." Leonardo looked up at Don and Raph, "Isn't that right, guys?"

Don turned around sharply, his task complete, but - not knowing what to say, he could only nod in reply to Leo's remark. Like Mikey, his older brother was sounding unusually sappy, more so than normal, in fact, and he casually wondered about it.

Raph, however, rolled his eyes, and shook his head, "Um, yeah, sure, whatever, Leo. So, ya said dinner's here? Great, cuz I'm hungry, let's eat…" and he was out of the room so fact, none of them had time to react.

Suddenly, Mike brightened and - taking Raphael's lead - slipped out from under Leo's grasp. Lightly punching him in the shoulder, "Yeah, yer right, Leo, almost forgot; brothers sure are the best of friends," Mike then skipped out of Don's workroom, whistling a tune.

As Mike disappeared and as Leo stared at the empty doorway, Don eased up from his chair. He stretched, yawned once, and then remarked, "Well, I guess we both better get some grub, eh."

"Just a minute, Don," Leo turned and walked over to him. He narrowed one eye, as he gave his brother an accusing look.

Don gulped.

Folding his arms across his chest, Leo asked sternly, "Donnie, you're bright enough to know how dangerous it is to contact anyone from topside." He then shook his head, "Why do you do this when you know Splinter would have your shell if this chat thing backfired and exposed us?"

"Yeah, you're right, Leo," Don replied seriously, "it is pretty stupid of me and considering that I've just uploaded a detailed map, so that one of our chat friends can find the lair, only adds to it, I suppose?"

"What? You did **WHAT**?" Leo nearly squeaked, his eyes bugging out.

"Just kidding, Leo," Don chuckled, lightly cuffing his brother in the shoulder, "…so, did ya bring pizza or burgers home?" Don asked as he slipped around his brother.

"Burgers." Leo replied unsurely, watching his brother leave.

"Cool, cuz I'm starving," and then Don disappeared out of the room.

Leo shook his head and sighed, _Brothers, the best of friends or one's greatest torment. All the same if you ask me. _

Leonardo then glanced once at Don's computer, his gaze lingering a bit on the screen. He pursed his lips in study, but after a moment, he shrugged and turned, hurrying out of the room. Leonardo then made his way down the hallway and to the kitchen where dinner, his brothers, and Master Splinter waited.


	6. The Test

**Chapter 6 - The Test**

"Tum de dum dum, te dum dum," Mike hummed to himself as he made breakfast. He smiled, stirring the sauce in the pot, while at the same time keeping watch over the other pan on the stove. "Gonna be a great…"

"Hey, Mikey?"

Mike turned and saw one of his brothers walking into the kitchen.

"Yeah, Bro?"

"What's taking so long? We're all starving out here."

Mike gave a wide smile, "Oh, I decided to go all out this morning, Leo, and make something special!"

"Yeah?" Leo grinned and went over to the stove where Mike was, "So, what are you making?" He looked at the assembled pots and curiously quirked a brow.

"Eggs Benedict!" Mike cheered smugly, still stirring the sauce.

"Eggs…Benedict?" Leo stroked his chin, "I don't think you've ever made that before, are you sure you know how, Mike?"

Mike quirked an eyeridge and then huffed, insulted, "You _are_ talking to the resident cook; you do know that, right? And for someone, like YOU, who probably doesn't know a slotted spoon from a spatula, asking _MOI_ if he can cook? Kind of a waste of breath, don'cha think?" Mike wrinkled his noise disapprovingly and went back to stirring his sauce.

"Sheesh, sorry Mike," Leo put his hands up in surrender, "my bad, all you had to say was you have it under control."

"I have it under control!" Mike said haughtily.

"Good." Leo smiled, "So, how long before…"

"Ten minutes," his brother snapped.

"Okaaay…ten minutes…" Leo frowned, "Guess…I'll go tell the others?"

"Good idea, Leo." Mike replied evenly, not even glancing as his brother left the room.

Mike chuckled, a sly smile creasing his snout.

A while later, four family members sat around the kitchen table, waiting, as the fifth handed out plates. On each plate sat two halves of toasted English muffins. Gracing each was a slice of Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and a smothering of creamy Hollandaise sauce, the crowning glory to Eggs Benedict.

However, something extra dotted each finished masterpiece and, as Mike handed out the last plate, Leo stared at his as if confused.

While Leo stared at his plate, Raph and Don took advantage of it and glared at the youngest member of their family.

Mike ignored them.

"My son, you have outdone yourself this morning. I am impressed," the aged rat smiled, his tongue flicking hungrily between lips.

Mike grinned from ear to ear. "Thank you, Sensei," he chirped, "I aim to please," and sat down to join his family at the table.

"So nice t'know you aim t'please, Mikey." Raph said evenly, elbows on the table and his chin resting on his fisted hands. He then lowered his voice a bit, "Makes me wondeh what other 'nice' things ya have in mind t'day." He smiled, then, a small warning sneer edging the corners of his mouth.

"Oh, Raphie," Mike grinned, playfully ignoring his brother's comment, "I just thought we should start our day with something a bit _classier_ than pancakes and eggs. It's kind of - _boring_ - to have the same ol'thing all the time, ya know?"

"Well, I know we didn't have pancakes yesterday, or the day before that, and I don't believe…"

"Hey, Donnie," Mike waggled a brow, almost snapping his words, "you think too much and you're breakfast is getting cold." Mike '_harrumphed'_ a bit before digging into his own meal, ignoring Raph and Don's disapproving glare. He gave a sideways glance to Leonardo, though, who continued staring at his breakfast. "Something wrong, bro?"

"Hmm?" Leo looked up at Mike and then shook his head, "Oh, nothing's wrong…it's just…well…" he looked back at his plate again, "you put - chopped tomatoes and green onions on top."

"Yeah, so?"

"I didn't think one used tomatoes and onions when making eggs benedict." He looked at his plate, again, almost in revulsion.

"How would you know, Leo? This is the first time I've ever made 'em."

Leo jerked his head up and started to reply, but then seemed at a loss for words. Finally, "Well, it's just that…well…I dunno, I guess you _could_ add tomatoes and onions."

"Yep, and I did. So, eat up," and Mike smiled, cutting into to his own breakfast.

Leo pursed his lips a bit and finally shrugged, letting the matter go. After taking a breath, Leo cut a small section from one of the muffins and took a bite. He chewed experimentally, thoughtfully, but by about the third chew, he stopped. He swallowed slowly and then his eyes began to water and in the next moment, he began to choke.

"WHAT in SHELL DID YOU PUT IN THIS, MIKE?" Leo gagged and spat his morsel onto his plate, "Bleh!" He grabbed his glass of juice and downed it in one gulp. After that, Leo sat there for a quiet moment, staring off into space, as if waiting for something.

Meanwhile, every one else stopped what they were doing, all but one confused with Leonardo's outburst.

Then, without warning, Leo gasped and shot from his seat, glass in hand, and had it filled with tap water before anyone could say a word. He downed it just as fast as he had the juice, too. One more glass followed the first and then another, until he stood there, sighing in relief from whatever it was that had triggered his mad dash to the sink. Finally, Leo turned back to rejoin his family at the table. Taking his seat again, he looked askance at his little brother, as if thoroughly disgusted. "What did you put in the _sauce_, Mikey?"

"An egg, cream…um…lemon juice..." Mike rolled his eyes up a bit as he mentally clicked off the ingredients, "...a little salt. The normal stuff one uses to make Hollandaise sauce." He smiled at Leo again.

Leo looked at his other brothers and settled on Raphael, "How's yours, bro?"

Raph only shrugged, trying not to smirk - or look at Mike, for he was certain Mike had done something different to Leo's eggs, "Mine's fine, Leo."

Don nodded, playing along, "Mine, too…" and turned to his father, "Sensei, how about yours?"

"Breakfast is superb, my sons," he looked over at the one in blue, though, "maybe you do not care for eggs Benedict, Leonardo?"

"I…I…" Leo glared at his plate as if it had suddenly become some horrible monstrosity, "It's just…HOT, and it's…it's too salty…and…and **_sour_**."

"I made yours the same way I made everyone else's," Mike said defensively, almost pouting, "Maybe Sensei's right; maybe you don't _like_ eggs benedict." He sniffed indignantly.

"I dooahhh, well…I…um," Leo suddenly went mute as he saw everyone starring at him. Finally, he reluctantly conceded, "Yeah…maybe I don't."

"Here, maybe yours got a little too much salt. You can have my other half," Mike smiled, making a motion to scrape his second muffin onto Leo's plate.

"NO…thank you," Leo covered his plate protectively, almost afraid, "I'll…I'll try to finish this…or maybe have a bowl of cereal instead." He looked apologetically at his baby brother, "I'm sorry, Mike, I know this - ah - probably took a lot of work, it certainly took enough time…"

"Hey, no problemo, bro, can't please everyone, I understand," Mike nodded understandingly and went back to his own meal, "I'll just be sure to make you something different the next time I make EB's."

"Yeah," Leo sighed, "that would be better…I think."

After everyone finished breakfast, with Leonardo indeed having a bowl of cereal - for he just couldn't eat what Mike had fixed, Raph and Don offered to help clean up the dishes.

"No, no, that's all right, guys, you just go and enjoy the morning," Mike tried to wave them off, "go watch some T.V., practice ninjitsu, or meditate…"

When they refused to leave, Mike tried to push them out of the room, politely, but - they declined, _politely_. When he realized they weren't going to leave the kitchen, Mike casually, deliberately, made a point to start clearing things from the table - and move as far from his two lingering brothers as he could, which wasn't far, considering the kitchen wasn't that big to begin with.

After Leo left for a session of meditation with Splinter, the moment he felt that his brother and father were out of hearing range, Raphael had Mike by the throat before he could scream out.

Slamming his brother up against the refrigerator and rocking the appliance from the impact, "You tryin' t'ruin our plans, Mike?" Raph hissed, snout to snout with Mike.

"GAH, Gack, legkome."

Raph released him and Mike scrambled quickly out of harms way. He ended up behind Donnie, but Don wasn't necessarily the safest spot in the lair.

Whipping around and throwing an accusing finger into Mike's face, Donatello glared menacingly. With Mike backing up a few paces, "You know," Don seethed between bared teeth, "I rarely get pissed, but that act of yours with breakfast pushed me to the line." He narrowed one eye, "What did you put on Leo's eggs, Michelangelo?"

"What? What d'you mean?" Mike tried to give the best innocent face he could muster.

"WHAT did you put on Leo's eggs, or do I have to spell it out for you?"

Mike gulped and realized he was between a rock and that proverbial hard place. It was either fess up or find himself pounded into oblivion by two enraged brothers. Digging deep for a bit of confidence, "Well, Donnie," Mike puffed up a little, "I was just playing around with him, you know, trying to get Leo to…"

Suddenly, Raph charged at Mike again and had him in a headlock, this time, again the turtle in orange could react, "Answer Don's question, Mike," he growled low, "or I swear, I'll find something to shove down your throat, starting with Leo's eggs Benedict!"

"Okay, okay, Isprinkledmoresalt andand lemonjuice on his eggs when I made them, that'sall ." Mike choked out quickly.

"That wouldn't have Leo nearly drowning 'imself in the sink, what **_else_** did ya put in it?"

"Raph, _honest_, just the salt and lemon juice. I put a LOT on, bound to make any of us be one with the water faucet."

"I ought t'make YOU eat it, moron!" Raph growled and Mike's eyes widened in horror at the thought.

"Why did you do that, Mike?" Don asked, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"Like I said..." Mike felt Raph tighten his hold. The orange-wearing turtle tried to pry himself loose, but his brother only squeezed tighter, "Jeeze. Raph, a little less pressure, 'kay? AAAAH!"

"Just answeh the question, _Mike_!" Raph hissed, increasing his grip even more.

"Okayokay. Like I said, I was just playing around, to see if he'd say something - in…incriminating."

Don and Raph looked at each other and then at Mike again. Raph finally let his brother go.

Mike raced around to the other side of the kitchen table, where it now gave him a moderate form of protection from both his angry brothers. "Shell, guys, what's with you two. You know we almost had him."

"An' we told you not to do nothin', too!" Raph growled, clenching and unclenching his fists, wanting badly to use Mike as a punching bag.

Don shook his head, "I know you're still mad about Leo taking advantage of you, Mikey, but it's not enough for him to own up about his cooking skills - and you know it." He took in a deep cleansing breath and then…slowly smiled, "But…I have to admit, it was funny, his total look of disgust was perfect. I had all I could do to keep from laughing out loud."

Relieved that Don seemed to be calming down and, even better, appreciating his handiwork, Mike chuckled, "Me, too, bro!"

"Not me, **_Mikey_**," Raph growled and leaned menacingly across the table, his hands flat along its surface, "You do another crazy stunt like that, so help me…"

"I won't, honest, no more spiking the food, I promise." Mike shook his head earnestly.

"You'd better not."

Mike made a crisscross motion along his plastron, "I won't! Cross my heart and hope my shell falls off."

"You do, Mike, and you won't have to worry 'bout your shell _fallin'_ off," Raph grinned malevolently.

Mike gulped and knew that Raph would indeed make good on his threat.

As his brothers turned to leave the kitchen, "Hey, I thought you guys were going to help clean up."

Raph shook his head and chuckled, never bothering to answer or look back. He just kept on walking, disappearing out of the room.

However, Don paused for a moment and to glance at Mike. As he cocked an eyeridge, "Be glad, Mikey, that we didn't, okay?" and then he disappeared into the living room with Raphael.

Mike sighed and, after giving a lingering gaze at the now-empty doorway, he began collecting the dirty dishes.

As he dumped the first armful into the sink, his smile slowly returned. Despite Raph and Don's threat, Mike still felt a certain level of satisfaction. It was indeed hilarious the way Leo gagged on the spiked eggs. In fact, it was more than Mikey had even hoped would happen. It only proved to him that Leo was clueless to their plans. Why would Leo even take a bite if he knew they were spying on him - and it was a no-brainer that they would plan some sort of rebuttal.

_No_, Mike said to himself, _we've really pulled the wool over big brother this time!_

Chuckling, Mike knew he was going to have to make Casey something special for that little extra ingredient he bought for him. Without it, the results just wouldn't have been the same.

Because, what Mike didn't tell his brothers - and he swore to himself he never would - was that in addition to the extra salt and lemon juice, Mike had added _habanero powder_ to Leo's breakfast BEFORE spooning the sauce on the eggs.

Mikey grinned wider. Payback couldn't have been…_hotter!_


	7. The Tummy Ache

_**Disclaimer** - Nope, still don't own them, what else is new, eh? Go figure. Anyway, onward and forward… _

xxxxxxx

Chapter 7 - The Tummy Ache

In the quiet of the evening, between midnight and dawn, all activity in the lair had ceased. Patrol had gone uneventfully, allowing an early return and a bit of television, before everyone said their 'good-nights'.

Now, most of the lair's occupants slept peacefully in their respective rooms, their fanciful dreams making them oblivious to one member's plotting.

Well into the wee hours, the one in question opened his eyes. He remained in bed, though, breathing rhythmically, the way he would if he was sleeping. He listened for any noise out of the ordinary, because while his brethren slept, he had stayed awake. Considering his family was always on alert, he had to be careful, so he waited. He was patient. He had a plan - a sinister plan perhaps, but a plan nonetheless.

After some time had passed, he rose noiselessly from his mattress and slipped from his bed. Then, soundlessly, he made his way through the darkened room. His heart pounded excitedly, for he knew that beyond his bedroom door he would find either success - or failure.

If he succeeded, he would be one happy turtle in deed.

If not, he would be dead before morning.

Finally arriving at his bedroom door and after taking a quiet breath, he carefully wrapped his hand around the handle. He hesitated, but only for a moment. Then, slowly, he turned the knob, feeling the pin retract, and freeing itself from the striker. As the door unlatched, once again, he took a breath, but this time held it. Pulling gently on the handle, the door opened. Its hinges, well oiled, did not betray him, and so he looked passed the door's threshold and found the hallway beyond as dark as he had expected.

Quietly he took a step and then another, soon emerging into the corridor. Leaving his door ajar, he next gave the hallway a careful check. He stood in the darkness, trying to hear any unusual sounds and in that way determine if everyone else in his subterranean home was still asleep.

A chorus of snores met his delighted expectations and he smiled. It was the most beautiful sound! He waited, though, just for a moment longer, just to be sure. Then, confident he was indeed the only one awake, Michelangelo tiptoed towards the living room.

When he came to the threshold between the hallway and living area, Mikey stopped. Where he stood wasn't nearly as dark, now, as where he was before. The green light from the DVD player's clock, showing the three a.m. time, was casting a calming glow, while light from the microwave in the kitchen spilled beyond its room. For a ninja, it was more than enough light by which to work.

Then and almost as if he knew exactly where to go - and he did, thanks to the recording he had seen the day before - Mike walked straightway to the western most wall and stopped. To his right several yards from where he stood was the front door of the lair and behind him by many feet sat the couch and, beyond that, the television.

However, the wall in front of him had all of his attention.

Hanging there were several etchings, works of art his father had collected from various dumpsites. For a moment, Mike starred at the paintings.

_"They look rather different at night, almost more beautiful than during the…"_ he mused silently, but then Mike reminded himself why he was standing there in the first place. Picking the one painting left of middle he gently seized the bottom of the canvas.

The paintings had long lost their wooden frames due to damage. Now, they hung freely, with a rod glued at the top of each and string stretched between both ends, and secured to the wall by a nail. Carefully and holding his breath, Mike slowly drew it away from its resting place. Most of the brickwork behind the painting wasn't anything unique compared to the rest of the wall, but one area seemed to stand out for the turtle.

And it made Mikey smile.

He studied one brick carefully and reached up with his free hand to touch it. He felt it wobble a bit.

Mike smiled wider.

The turtle then grabbed it and wiggled the brick even more. And, it gave a little more. It was a slightly larger brick than the rest and one that wasn't as mortared as the others were. With two fingers, Mike found enough purchase to ease the block further loose. He grabbed more of it and gently pulled, slowly freeing it from the wall. At the same time, the ninja slipped under the painting to use his shell to keep the canvas pulled away, so that he could use both hands. Of course, he was mindful to be careful, for it wouldn't bode well if any damage came to it. He was certain someone in the family would notice and start asking questions.

Of course, that wouldn't do at all.

In any event, with the newly revealed hole, Mike leaned forward and peered inside - and he smiled for the fourth time that night.

Now, with his free hand, the turtle reached inside the space and felt around. It didn't take long before he touched something plastic, a bag and quite bulky with its contents. That was when he knew he had hit the jackpot.

Then, carefully and silently, Mike found the opened end of the bag and, grabbing it closed, slowly removed it. The moment he pulled it free from its hiding place, his eyes widened happily, but instead of sampling his find, he hugged the bag close to his plastron like a precious treasure.

Not wasting a moment, the turtle quickly returned the brick to the wall, concealing the hole again, just as it did before. Then Mike carefully worked his way out from under the painting.

As the art piece swung down and return to its former place, Mike took step back to make sure everything looked normal again. Satisfied, he turned silent heel and headed back to his room. All the while, he kept his treasure close to his plastron, tightly holding it to his chest so that the bag would remain mute.

Once inside his room and after locking his door behind him, Michelangelo settled onto his bed to inspect his find. Like a kid on Halloween night, he grinned victoriously, as he slowly poured the bag's contents onto his comforter. Mike was mindful of his family's tendency to know when he was up to something, so he made sure to do so quietly. As the pile of treasure sat before him, Mikey smiled once more and then began gorging himself on Leonardo's previously hidden stash of candy.

xxxxxx

"Ohhhh, don't feel well."

"Mike, you okay in there?"

Mike turned a baleful glare at the door and shook his head. Rolling onto his back, "I'm fine, Donnie, just go away," he mumbled but then groaned again.

Suddenly, his bedroom door opened and a green, purple-masked face peered in, "Isn't 'just go away', Raph's line? What's up?" Don eased the rest of the way inside Mike's bedroom.

Lying in his bed and halfway under his covers, Mike had his hands placed protectively along the top of his plastron - or more pointedly, where his stomach was. The pained expression on his face, though, told his brother that not all was fine, not in the least.

"Are you sick or something?" Don asked in concern. Walking over to Mike, Donatello noticed an empty bag poking out from underneath the bed.

"Hey, what's this…" he asked and bent down to pick it up. As he did, though, he spied several candy wrappers on the floor next to it. He picked those up, too, but it was all Don needed to explain why his brother wasn't feeling well.

With eyes wide in surprise, "You _didn't_…" Then, Donnie hushed himself, just in case 'big brother' was nearby. "Mike, tell me you didn't raid Leo's stash?"

Nodding sheepishly, Mike grinned, "Gonna really piss him off, too! Not going to know how or why or who did it. It's gonna be…" he began to chuckle, only it wasn't the smartest thing to do, all things considered. "AHHH, oh my tummy!"

"Oh your head, if Raph finds out, regardless if you're suffering. Serves you ri…"

"Hey, what's going on in here?"

Quickly, Don stuffed the empty bag under Mike's covers. He then sat down on the edge of the mattress, fisting the candy wrappers, just as Raph stepped inside the room. Raph quickly noticed that Mike was still in bed, "Hey, how come yer not up…" but then when he saw his brother's pained expression, "Hey, Mikey, you okay?"

"The kid's not feeling well."

"Yeah, Donnie, I can see that," Raph walked over and looked at Mike again, "What's up, bro?"

"Said he had…a _stomach_ ache. Maybe it was something he ate, right Mikey?" Don winked mischievously at his little brother.

Mike scowled.

"Well, maybe we should tell Sensei," and then Raphael quickly left the room.

"Good going, _**Donnie**_. Raph didn't have to know I had an upset stomach!" Mike growled and turned to face the wall next to him.

"Hey, once Leo discovers his stash is gone, Raphael will figure it out anyway."

Mike shot a look at his brother, "Not necessarily."

"We're talking about Raph, here, remember? He'll know you did it, because all three of us watched that recording. And, he's already been on your case about getting back at Leo anyway, he warned you!"

"I'm dead."

"You can count on it."

A minute later, Master Splinter came into the room, a thermometer in hand, with Raphael right behind him. As Raph stood by the door, Splinter made to sit down on the bed beside Mikey. Don moved aside, making sure to clear his throat to cover the sound from the bag, now right underneath where he sat. He saw Raph look at him suspiciously, but he paid him no mind, focusing instead on his 'suffering' brother.

Then, despite Mike's protests, Splinter took the turtle's temperature. After a couple of minutes…

" Normal," Splinter mused as he studied the thermometer and then looked at his son, "It is quite possible that you caught a cold last night."

"Probably _something_…" Don sniggered, causing Raph to look at him curiously. His purple-masked brother smiled and rolled his eyes, which had Raph looking back at Mike again and then at Don. Sitting behind Splinter and with his father's attention more on Mike, Donatello opened his hand to expose the candy wrappers. He then mouthed words to Raph as he quirked his head in Mike's direction, _'Leo's candy'_.

It was then when a slow dawn of understanding bloomed on Raphael's face. Now, he glared at Mike. Still, he held himself in check. It wouldn't do for Splinter to wonder why he was getting mad.

And, had it not been for Splinter's close proximity, Mike would have glared daggers at both his brothers. Still, his stomach hurt so badly that even a 'look' seemed like a painful thing to do.

"Well, I cannot say what it is…" the Master stroked his chin, perplexed.

Suddenly, a strangled cry emanated from the living room. More to the point, it was Leonardo's strangled cry and he seemed quite upset. Then, all went deathly quiet.

"Maybe," Mike said hurriedly, "it was…was when I tripped - and fell in the sewer water last night!" He smiled apologetically to his father, ignoring the growing anger on Raphael's face. "I was a little clumsy, I guess, Sensei."

"And why did you not tell me this, my son?"

"Didn't want you to worry, Master Splinter…heh…" Mike smiled sheepishly. Still, the turtle was quite mindful of his bedroom door and the fact that at any moment, Leo could come busting in, because Mike knew his leader brother just discovered that someone had hijacked his secret stash.

Raph was ready to spit nails by this time, but before he could say anything, Splinter asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Begged me not to, Sensei, it's my fault, sorry. Guess it was the wrong thing to do. Lesson learned…" he glared at his little brother, "Right, Mikey?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's it." Mike was nearly hyperventilating, now, realizing that any minute, Leo would come bursting into his room, "I - ah - was running really fast and didn't see a pipe sticking in the way. You know me, Mister Hyperactivity!" he chuckled lightly, only to groan again, "And…and next thing I know, I was in the water. Must have swallowed some, too. Maybe that's why I don't feel so well?"

Just then, Leo charged into the bedroom, breathing heavily. He softened his composure quickly, though, when he saw his father. However, spying his brothers, he narrowed his eyes and then glared all three, specifically the one in bed.

Glancing at each other, Raph and Don tried to act clueless. Mike, however, slipped further under his covers, leaving only his head exposed. He looked back at Leo, offering a pinched brow and a down-turned mouth, trying to look as pitiful as he could.

Yet, before Leonardo could say anything accusing, Splinter announced, "It seems, Leonardo, your brother fell in some sewer water last night and now he is ill."

"I don't remember him falling into…"

"Hey, Leo, it was when we split up on the way back home, remember?" Don interrupted, "When you and Raph went to check out that noise over on Tenth St. Told us to go on ahead."

"Oh, yeah, forgot about that…you made it to the sewers that quickly?" He looked at Mike, "You didn't seem wet when we caught up with you."

"I dry fast, I guess," Mike smiled wanly.

"Hmmm…not _that_ quickly," Leo rose an eyeridge.

Splinter cleared his throat, though, "Regardless, as I have often said, we must be careful when navigating these tunnels." Splinter then stood up and announced, "Michelangelo will not be attending practice this morning or for the rest of the day."

"What? Why?"

"Michelangelo is _sick_, Leonardo. Certainly you do not expect him or any of your brothers to practice when they are ill?"

Leo looked at Mike and then at Splinter, "But, but…" Leo was certain Mike was lying, why he didn't know, but he knew his brother could not have dried off that fast as he supposedly said he did.

Splinter shook his head, "Just look at him, my son, he is miserable."

"Even though he doesn't have a temperature," Don added, smiling. Raph chuckled and Mike scowled again.

"Certainly would help, though," Raph mumbled cheekily and then suggested, "Ya know, Sensei, maybe Mike needs a little medicine t'get betteh. Maybe…ya should give him some of that _herbal_ stuff ya made us take when we were little..." Raph barely caught the look of disgust his brother's face, "Might be what Mikey needs, right little brother?"

Mike stuck his tongue out as Splinter turned his head to address his son, "Yes, Raphael, I believe it would," and then glanced back at the one in bed again, "It will at least strengthen your immune system, Michelangelo." With that, the rat stood up and left the room, leaving Raph, Don, and Leo alone with their little brother.

Once his father was out of hearing range, "I know why you're really not feeling well, MIKE!" Leo glared.

Mike shrugged, "Stupid me, falling into the sewer water. I guess I need to remember to keep my mouth closed when I run from now on, eh?" He laughed weakly and then groaned.

"Sewer water my ah…"

"Here, Michelangelo," Splinter re-emerged into the turtle's room, cup in hand, "I had some left over from my morning tea…"

"You have this in your…tea?" Don seemed shocked, almost horrified, the way Mike was a moment earlier.

"Every morning…" he paused, "or evening, whenever I can remember."

"But, why, Sensei, it…it tastes AWful!" Mikey moaned.

"Yes, but it has kept me well these many years," the rat then sat back down on the bed and offered Mike the cup, "Drink it all, Michelangelo, it will help you feel better."

"I highly doubt _that_!" the turtle mumbled miserably.

"Trust me, my son, it may taste less than pleasant, but its attributes far outweigh any temporary pleasures."

"Root canal sounds better!" Mike scowled, eyeing the cup hatefully.

Mike then looked up at Don and at Raphael. Both had all they could do not to smile. Mike finally glanced at Leonardo, who gave him an accusing look. Then, glaring at the cup as if it was poison, "Do - I hafta, Sensei," Mikey pleaded, "I think…I'm feeling better, now, yeah, that's it…my stomach doesn't…" He tried to smile, to sound chipper, to…

However, in that moment, Raphael walked over and planted a foot hard onto the mattress. As the bed bounced generously, Mike groaned and grabbed his stomach as if it would quite literally blow up.

"RAPHAEL!" Splinter whacked his cane along the red-banded turtle before his son could move out of harms way.

As Raph to dance from the blow and uttered a pain-filled expletive, the rat admonished him, "You will exercise compassion for your brother, he is ill, and bouncing his bed only…"

"Only _proves_ he needs his medicine," Don intervened calmly.

Splinter looked up at Donnie and then at Mike, who looked even more uncomfortable. "Yes, indeed, Donatello. Despite your brother's assurance that his is well, he is obviously not." He nodded once, "I admire you, Michelangelo, to be so brave; to try and feign wellness when you are sick."

"And, Master Splinter," Leonardo offered thoughtfully, a slight upward turn to his mouth, "maybe a double dose might be even better. After all, that sewer water is pretty nasty stuff!"

Splinter nodded approval, as Michelangelo groaned in misery. He looked at his cup and sighed to himself, "_Definitely NOT gonna raid Leo's stash again, that's for sure!"_

xxxxxxxx

_**A/N** - Thanks to **Midnight Heir** for the 'secret candy stash' idea! I think Mike would have preferred otherwise, but - heck - he needs some rebuttal to his antics, right? Bwahahahaha! _


	8. The Evidence Act 2

_**Disclaimer - **No surprise, I don't own them. Go figure, eh? But, I bet we all write more than those hired by Mirage. LOL Anyway, getting closer to Exposure Day._ :0)

xxxxxxx

**Chapter 8 - The Evidence - Act 2**

After the infamous breakfast and candy heist, over the course of the next several days, Don's computer recorded more DVD's of Leonardo. Each one seemed filled with enough evidence to not only expose Leo as more eccentric than his brothers imagined him to be, but they acquired valuable blackmail material on him, as well.

However, the experience gave his three spies interesting side effects.

Literally.

"Ah, m'siiiides," Raph complained, "they've never hurt as bad as this, not even afteh battlin' the Foot!" He gingerly rubbed the area where his plastron wrapped around to his carapace.

As Raphael sat down in one of Don's chairs, groaning as he did, Mike moaned in agreement, "You're telling me!" and took the other seat, "I feel like someone's been kicking me in the gut, over and over again! Who says laughter is good medicine?"

As for Don, he sat quietly in his chair, unmoving. With his shell to his brothers, he had his head leaning against the backrest, and his chin tilted slightly upwards. He seemed to be contemplating something.

Mike stared at him and, after, a long quiet moment, "Hey, Donnie, you okay?" he asked.

"Hmm mmm…"

Raph and Mike both looked at each other and then got up. Each groaned a bit from their exertion, yet each was curious to see what was up with their brother. What they found was Don with both eyes closed and his mouth sporting a pained expression.

"What's up with your face, I mean, other than how it usually looks," Raph smirked.

"Please, _do not_ try to make me laugh, okay?"

Mike chuckled, groaning again as pain shot across his midsection, "Owowow…" After taking a few careful breaths, he managed to ask, "Why not, bro, I mean, isn't that what we've been doing, laughing?"

Don pointed a single finger skywards, eyes closed, "And therein lies a truth, Mikey, it's all we've _been_ doing. My smile muscles are thoroughly exhausted," and he dropped his arm wearily to his lap, "I don't think I can laugh even if you tickle me…" Suddenly, Donatello snapped his eyes open and glared a warning at both brothers, "And you better not!"

Raph tried to laugh, almost forgetting about his achy sides, "Hah. hah, ah, ah, ah, GAH! I don't think I'll ever _not_ be sore again." He grimaced, hitching his side a bit, before smiling. "Ya gotta admit it, though, these past few days have been very educational, I mean, who would'a thought Leo was so - _weird_!"

"Other than how he normally is, you mean?" Mike grinned.

This had all three chuckling, with all three instantly regretting it.

"Please and I'll say it again," Don sighed, "let's cease and desist all humorous comments until the day of Exposure."

"And have we decided on what day that'll be?" Raph asked eagerly.

"We agreed on a week," Mike reminded him, "and there's still three days left. How's your supply of DVD's holding up, Donnie?"

Don straightened from his slouch, grimacing and then turned to count his supply on the desk. "I have about four left, more than enough, I think." He opened a drawer and pulled out a false bottom, revealing a hidden compartment underneath. Stored inside were four more DVD's. When he took them out, he stated, "Overall, we'll have eight, one for each day and one to make a compilation with, as I highly doubt our fearless leader will sit through all of them. In fact, it'll be hard enough for Leo to sit through just the one."

"So, do we know which disc has what on it?"

"Yep, Raph, I do…see?" Don turned the top disc around so that Raph could read what he had written, "I labeled each one; had to, since there was so much going on."

Raph gestured for the small stack of DVD's and so Don handed them over. Reading the titles, Raphael squinted at the small print on the stickers, "Did ya have t'write so small?"

"Again, there was a lot going on," Don shrugged, "and I wanted to know right away what I had without having to play them." Shaking his head, "You never know about Leo; he seems to sense trouble, and I didn't want to be deep in the middle of things if he walked in on me."

Raph nodded knowingly and then read off the first label, grinning, "Well, the first disc has Leo doing that ballet thing and making eggs benadines."

"Benedict, Raph, eggs BENEdict!" Mike corrected, rolling his eyes indignantly.

"Whatevah…" Raph shrugged, "…anyway, then there's Leo knittin' a blanket; reading a romance novel; doing step-aerobics in the living room - with leg _pink_ warmers, no less!"

Mike chuckled, painfully holding onto his stomach, "That was hilarious; you have to admit! First ballet, then imitating Jane Fonda!"

"Oh, and doing karaoke," Raph finished and then glared at Mike, "with the last one showin' him eating his stash of candy…which, of course, nearly undid our plan, again, like with breakfast the other morning," Raph made a threatening fist at his brother, "and I warned ya about upendin' things, too, Mike!"

With hands up in defense, "Hey, I only said I wouldn't spike Leo's food anymore," Mike reasoned, "You never said anything about eating his candy."

"He's got a point, Raph." Don said, smiling smugly.

"Stay outta this, Einstein," Raph growled and then looked back at his brother in orange again.

"Besides," Mike explained, "I couldn't help it, since I knew where it was. You know how I am with candy, Raph." Mike stuck his tongue out, "You're just jealous 'cuz I got there first!"

Raph, "As if I'd take a chance 'n ruin our plans; don't think so, bro."

Donnie shook his head, "Raph's right, Mike. Raiding Leo's secret stash and then eating all of it was not the brightest thing you've done - and it wasn't right, either."

"It wasn't in his bedroom, Donnie, so it was fair game." Mike shrugged, "Any one of us could have found it."

"But it was _behind_ the painting. No one would have even thought to look there!"

"Hey, if he asks me, I'll just tell him you were straightening one of the paintings…and I came along and saw…"

"You even TRY to include me and you'll have more than Raph's fist to worry about!" Don threatened.

"Hey, maybe we can say Raph was trying to kill a spider or something and the painting fell down; or…"

"Stop - right there, Mike!" Raph straightened, ignoring the pain, "Otherwise yer gonna hurt more than you are if you even hint that I had anything to do with your scheme."

Don, hands up in submission, "Don't worry about it, Raph, Mike's not going to do any such thing. Still, if we hadn't taped it, none of us would have known!"

"Yeah, I know, I know…" Raph grumbled.

"Hey," Mike chortled, "at least we got a recording of his stash and that makes it worth any bruises he gives us."

"You mean you, right?" Don chuckled, "Leo knows you, Mikey. It's just a miracle he didn't press the issue between your stomachache and his missing candy. And, I might add, you deserved your misery, too."

"All worth it, just to see the look on Leo's face, trying to accuse someone without accusing anyone. Priceless. I think he nearly busted a vein, he was so pissed!"

"And that's why you almost blew our plan to smithereens, dimwit!" Raph suddenly punched Mike in the arm, "he knew you weren't feeling well!"

"Hey," Mike winched, covering his sore arm, "we live in a sewer, I had lots of reasons about not feeling well, but - ah - thanks," Mike smiled, "for not hitting me where it really hurts, Raph,"

"Maybe I missed?" and Raph made as if to kick his brother in the gut.

Mike jumped back, eyes wide, protectively covering his stomach, "Hey, no fair!"

Raph chuckled and relaxed again, "Eh, yer safe, just don't do another lame brained thing like that again, 'kay? Otheh wise, I'll make ya drink a gallon of Sensei's tea!"

Ignoring Mikey's horrified expression, Raphael slipped disc one under the small stack in his hand. He then read the next label, "Ah, this one's the golden ring, boys…Leo wearing Sensei's good robe and drinkin' some of Sensei's special blend of tea. I think Splinter was over at April's that night watching a Friend's tribute and because Leo said he wanted to watch something different, he stayed home. I think we were at Casey's again, too. Seriously, bros, with Splinter in the room, if we showed just this one, Leo would never recover."

"And I'm not so certain I want to show that one, either," Don admitted tentatively.

Raphael was indignant, "Why NOT?"

"Because, Raph, it would be enough for Leo to know that we know what he does when he's alone in the lair. When he sees what else we have, he would have to realize that we recorded him in Splinter's robe."

"But…but…Splinter needs to know, Donnie!"

"Raph, think about it…" Don turned very serious as he faced his brother in red, "Splinter probably already knows. He's our master and even more than that, he's a rat, his sense of smell's probably already told him that Leo's used his robe." He sighed, "Besides, losing face with us won't be nearly as traumatic as losing face with our father. A prank is one thing, but to take it to the next level like that would be downright mean-spirited. No, we won't include this one and where I'm in charge of the recording and cameras, my decision stands," and before Raph could even think to tuck the DVD into his belt, Donnie plucked it from his hand. Shoving it into one of his side pouches, "and if you persist with this, Raphael," Don glared, "I'll erase _everything_ we've recorded so far."

His eyes wide with apprehension, Mike begged with pleading hands, "Oh, please, pretty please; let this one go, Raph? Seriously, dude, we got enough stuff on the guy. I agree with Donnie, so don't go pissing him off."

Raph glared at both brothers before huffing, "Okay, fine, whateveh…but we keep the damning evidence, for blackmail purposes."

Neither Don nor Mike responded right away, each giving their brother a blank look.

"_Okay_?" Raph's eyeridges rose threateningly, "I mean it, just in case one of us screws up…and we need _leverage_."

Don smiled, "You do mean _you_, right? I'm smart enough _not_ to paint myself into a corner."

Raph nodded slowly, "Okay, Einstein, yeah, probably will be me - or Mikey, but remember t'knock on wood," he pointed at Don, "There'll come a time when YOU just might need that DVD!"

"When hell freezes over," Don mumbled, one hand gesturing for Raphael to give him the discs.

"Not quite yet, brainiac," Raph smiled, holding the items just out of Don's reach, "I haven't quite finished readin' all of 'em…lessee," he read the next event, "Right after Leo tried on Splinter's robe…he's doing his air-guitar act - probably to some lame music he likes." Done with that particular DVD, Raph handed it back to Don. He went on to read the next one, "Disc number three - my gawd, guys, Leo's a virtual closet hobby freak. He's making a rubberband ball. Hey, you have WR, here, Don. What does that mean?"

"World record, it was pretty big, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it was," Mike agreed, "but - not world record size. Besides, how would he certify…"

"April, Casey," both Don and Raph chorused.

"Oh, yeah, of course," Mike shrugged, "They could turn it in and register it, I guess."

"Anyway..." Raph went on as he read the rest of the label, "...we also recorded him playing World of Warcraft on Don's computer."

"Yeah, what's with that anyway?" Mike threw his hands up, "I mean, the guy goes outta his way to tell me how stupid it is to play these online games, warning me about talking to humans, yada yada," Mike started pacing, his agitation growing by the minute, "Man, I tell ya, the guy has a knack for getting under my **shell**, this whole deal seems to be about how much better he is at the things I do." Mike stopped his pacing and pointed to the DVD's in Raph's hands, "I mean, first it's cooking; then hiding stuff - and lemme tell ya bros, if there's anyone who can hide…"

"Yes, Mike," Don rolled his eyes, "we know…it's you."

"You damn right it's me; I've had more practice than…"

Raph sighed, "Any of us…we know, Mike, you keep remindin' us, we ain't stupid, ya know," then he shrugged, "Course, ya hide well 'cause I'm always afteh ya fer doing somethin' stupid."

"ExACTly my point!" Mike declared, raising a finger in exclamation, "I've had far more practice than Mr. Perfect…and now, NOW I've discovered that he's been the burr under my shell, the mysterious guy who's bested me in points for the past four months and I didn't even know it was HIM," Mike nearly screeched, "No one and I mean NO one can beat me at War Craft…"

"'Cept Leo," Don and Raph deadpanned together, both grinning.

"No, not LEo…" Mike swaggered his head, "He uses a _different_ handle; Im-2-hot-2-touch…" Mike threw his hands up then, "What kind of name is that, anyway? Sheesh, sounds like a personal ad from some loser..."

"Sounds like a desperate loser."

Raph chuckled, "If it's Leo, Donnie, then it's desperate."

Don laughed.

"Still, Leo's such a hypocrite, the way he goes on about how he hates computer games!" Mikey then spat, "What a phony!"

Raph laughed, as he slipped disc number three under the previous two, "I think we're all in agreement about that one, Mike."

"Three hours of playing Warcraft and even Casey could get good," Don snickered.

"But it did take up the rest of the disc, so that's that, I guess," Raph murmured, "I wonder what else we've missed seeing him do. Anyway, here's yesterdays," He held up the DVD between thumb and finger as he read, "and one more reason for Mike to spike Leo's food,"

"You mean poison, doncha?" Mike grumped,

Raph ignored his brother's comment, "Leo's baking cookies on this one."

"And ate every last one, too!" Mike sniffed, sitting back down in his chair.

"Hey, Mike, he's ninja, leave no trace, remember?"

"Not even a crumb, Don, not _even_!" Mike dropped into a chair, folding his arms gruffly, then…"Hey," he suddenly perked, sitting up, "maybe he has a secret cookie stash somewhere, like for his candy?"

"Don't get anymore ideas, Mike!" Don warned him, "You've done enough damage already. If Leo does have a cookie stash and if it goes missing, he'll know for sure you're responsible and you know he'll do whatever it'll take to get you to tell him how you found out!"

Remembering well how pissed Leo was when he found his candy stash missing, "I'll make my own stash, I guess."

Raph grinned, "Good idea, Mike …" and then he read off the next recorded event, "Leo seems to like watching soap operas - I mean, he IS Splinter junior, right?"

Don and Mike chuckled

Then, as Raphael read the next Leo-activity, he went slightly wide-eyed. He looked incredulously at Don, "Seriously? I don't remember this one."

Donnie shrugged noncommittally, "That one I discovered just a while ago, before you guys came in."

Raph shook his head, "What _have_ you been keeping from us?"

Don leaned back in his chair, arms folded behind his head, "Hey, like I said I just found it. Besides, it's nothing - important."

"Nothing important?" Raph harrumphed, "You have it here that Leo watches - PORN?"

Mike grabbed the DVD from Raph, "Play it, I wanna see…"

Raph took the disc back, "No, you're too young!"

"So are you!" Mike declared, quickly retrieving the DVD again.

Before Mike could tuck the DVD away in his belt, though, Don swiped it from him, ending the tug-o-war. "Neither of you are going to watch it. It doesn't show much, anyway…" he declared.

"But enough for YOU to know what he's watching, Donnie," Mike accused.

"Yeah, well, maybe, but - still - this isn't about porn, it's about what Leo does when we're not around."

"Yeah, he watches porn…"

"That's _not_ all he does, Raph, and you and Mikey know it. And I think this is another one we'll keep for - _other_ purposes." Don then slipped the DVD into the same pouch where he had put the other forbidden disc.

"Aw, Donnie," Raph complained, "That one's even better than Leo wearin' Splinter's robe."

"And equally as disastrous, too. We save it - for _another_ day!" Don took the two remaining DVD's from Raph's possession and returned them carefully to their hiding spot. After inserting the false bottom again, Don closed the drawer and locked it, pocketing the key into another side pouch.

"So, three more days and then…_show time_!" Mikey grinned in anticipation. Then, he brightened, "Hey, how about we make this a company thing, you know, invite Casey and April over?"

Raph shrugged one shoulder, "Why not, they've been helping us by inviting us over for things Leo doesn't like doing…"

"Which keeps him in the lair, of course," Don added, "Plus, they bought the equipment. Yeah, I think we owe them that much!"

"Cool!" Mike giggled, rubbing his hands together in glee, "This is going to be a radical night to remember for sure, dudes!"

"Say, shouldn't Leo be back by now?" Don wondered as he noticed the time on the computer.

Both Raph and Mike looked at each other and then at Don, "Yeah," Mike agreed.

Tentatively, Raph tiptoed over to the door and pressed his ear to the wood. After a moment, "Seems quiet enough."

He then looked back at Don and Mike, with Don waving a hand for him to check the hallway outside.

Raph slowly cracked the door opened and peeked out. When he didn't see anything at first, he opened the door wider, so he could slip his head passed the door without having to step fully into the hallway. He glanced at both ends of the corridor. He could tell that the doors to the various bedrooms remained closed, save for his, situated directly across from Donnie's workroom. All seemed quiet and empty of any eavesdropping-brother-in-blue.

Raph whispered back to his brothers, "Might be taking longer fer Leo t'get back from the store."

Suddenly, three rooms up from him and closest to the living area, the door to Leonardo's quarters jerked open, with said brother stepping into the hallway. Raphael jumped in surprise and, desperate to get back inside Don's room, shut the door.

There was only one tiny problem, however. Raphael hadn't quite retracted his head.

From inside his room, Splinter heard the agonized cry and he looked up from his reading. He sighed, "I wonder what Michelangelo did this time to Raphael."

He shrugged and reached over for his teacup sitting on his side table. Taking a sip of its contents, he grimaced, "Eh, nasty stuff."

Then, holding teacup in hand and his book in the other, Master Splinter went back to reading.

xxxxxxx

**_A/N_** _- For ideas re: what Leo could do when alone in the lair, my thanks goes to Midnight Heir, Grimsqeaker, Pacphys, Littlefurryguy, and Artykidd, although she didn't actually volunteer any ideas for my story. I had forgotten that she used the Swan Lake and Leo in tutu idea in her Self-Imposed Protection. She just updated today and I always go to the reviews to see where I last left off in my reading. I apparently quoted the ballet part of her story. LOL So, even though I thought my idea was original, it's not, so I give full credit to Artykidd, even though it's a chapter late. :0) _

_As of 3/31/07, additional thanks goes to Ame Musashi for the World of War Craft idea! I had unintentionally omitted her from the above A/N. Sorry for the oversight, Ame._


	9. The Reversal

**_Disclaimer _- **_Would ya look at that, it says on my contract with Fan Fiction that I can't claim ownership of any copyrighted material. _

_You know, there's always someone trying t'ruin a good time. Go figure._

_Yep, getting close to the end, folks; two more chapters and then it's 'finis'. :0)_

xxxxxxxx

**Chapter 9 - The Reversal**

"Well, we better get going; Case and Ape are waiting for us." Don said, as he took his bo and slipped it into its sheath along his back. He then turned and headed for the lair's front door. Standing there, he waited for the others, watching as Mike came out of the kitchen, his arms laden with various snacks.

While Mike stuffed his collection into a bag sitting on the coffee table, Leo looked over at Don from where he sat on the couch, "You seem to be in a hurry, Donnie."

"We said we'd be over there at seven and it's almost seven already, Leo," Don shrugged, "I just don't want to be late."

"Something special happening at seven?" his brother asked as he stood up from the sofa. He made his way around one end of the couch and headed over to where Don stood, "It's not any of our birthdays" As he brushed past his brother in purple, Leo turned and looked at his other two brothers, "and I know it's not Ape's or Casey's."

"They have a new movie," Raph said quickly as he emerged from the hallway, overhearing Leo's comment. Pocketing both sai and ambling to where his two brothers were by the front door, "a short one; said we'd find it - interestin'."

"Really?" Leo quirked an eyeridge, "I thought we were going to watch Lord of the Rings?"

"Oh, we are, we are!" Mike assured, grabbing up his bag of snacks, "but before we do, they have ah…'nother movie to show us. They said it's a documentary thingy, dude."

Suddenly, Splinter walked out from the hallway. He smiled when he saw his sons assembled by the front door, "I assume we are ready to leave?"

"Are you coming, too, Master?" Leo asked, curious.

"You know how much I enjoy that Ring trilogy, my son; I would not miss it." With cane in hand, Splinter joined his family at the front door, "But, we do seem to be visiting a lot with Miss Oneal and Mister Jones." His whiskered face broke into a grin, though, "But, I do not mind. Visiting with our friends has been quite enjoyable. This old rat sometimes tires of smelly sewers!" He chuckled, amused with himself, "I fear that I will soon grow quite spoiled with their attention," and his eyes sparkled, "Especially with Casey's big screen!"

As Donatello opened the door, Mike chirped as he skipped through, "We really need to get one of those; they're pretty cool!"

"And how would we go about doing that, bro? We live in a sewer," Raph asked, following his brother, "Although, I'd be up for having one."

From behind Raphael, though, Splinter cleared his throat, "Unless we find a large sum of money, my sons, I do not think that we can afford such luxuries." He saw the look of disappointment on their faces as they turned to him, so he said, "Let us be grateful that we have the friends we do. Come. Miss Oneal and Mister Jones are waiting for us," and then Splinter shuffled through the doorway and into the sewers, with Leo and Don taking up the rear.

A while later…

"Hey, guys…" April exclaimed, "Glad you could make it!"

"How's it hangin', Ape?" Raph grinned, as he eased through the opened window. He readily accepted the woman's hug and then April went about greeting his other brothers and their father as they slipped inside the apartment.

When she came to Leo, though, April hesitated. She tried hard not to smile and then, the redhead gave him a hug as well. "Glad you could all come over."

"Hey, no problem, April," Leo grinned, squeezing her arm affectionately, "So, what're we watching this evening?"

"We told you, Leo," Raph rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I know, Lord of the Rings." his brother smiled, "But you said there was something else."

"Oh…" April glanced at Casey where he sat on the couch. He stared at her blankly for a moment and then April rolled her eyes, "Case, the _documentary_, remember?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah, about that," he quickly stood, "we came into possession of an interestin' vid, um, DVD, and we thought you'd like t'see it."

"Sounds…intriguing," Splinter smiled, making his way over to one of Casey's overstuffed chairs.

As the rat sat down, April laid a hand along one of his son's shoulders, "Hey, Leo, help me get the sodas, okay?"

"Sure…Ape," and glanced once at Casey, before following the woman into the kitchen. Leo noticed the man rubbing the back of his neck, the way he did whenever he was nervous. _Hmm, what's up with him,_ he thought, but then shrugged, following April into the next room.

As his brother in blue left with April, Donnie casually walked over to Casey, giving the man a high eight, "That hog of yours still running, Case?"

"Yep, purrs like a kitten, Donnie!" Casey grinned, "Thanks for all yer help."

"Hey, no problem, Case," Donnie smiled back, turning slightly away from the others, "And, I know we can get more power from that engine of yours." _(From his side facing away from his father, Don deftly procured the hidden DVD from under his belt…)_ "Cuz I'm sure I can adjust the timing for a few more HP's," _(…as Raph and Mike talked to Splinter, Don then slipped the disc to Casey's waiting hand, unobserved by everyone else.)_

"You know, maybe next week," Casey remarked (_taking_ _the disc…)_, "I have Tuesdays off," (…_before_ _carefully tucking it into his pants pocket.)_

"Works for me!" and then Don sat down on the sofa, grinning.

Leo and April quickly returned to the living room, each carrying several cans of soda.

As they placed the drinks onto the coffee table, Raph remarked, "Hey, Case, enough with the chit chat, where's that DVD you and Ape said we had to watch."

Happily, Casey took the disc from his pants pocket, as if it had been there the whole time.

"Right here, dude," the man turned to Donnie and offered it to him, "Hey, ya want th'honors of gettin' it going, Donnie-boy?"

"Sure, I don't mind," Don shrugged and so he took the disc and got up.

Leo watched him, a slight quirk to his expression. He looked at Casey and smiled a little, furrowing his brow a bit. But, he 'hmmed a bit' and then went over to the couch to sit down.

As Don prepared the DVD player, the others took to their respective seats. Raph claimed part of the couch, while Mike snagged the floor, plopping his bag down onto the coffee table. Upending its contents, he cheerily announced, "And I brought the _munchies_!" with bags of chips and cookies spilling all over.

"Would it be too much trouble, my child," Splinter addressed April, "If I could have a cup of green tea?" Splinter asked kindly.

"Already have the water boiling, Master Splinter," and she disappeared into the kitchen again.

As Leo looked over the assembled snacks, "Hey, Mikey," Leo eyed the assortment, "you forgot the candy."

Mike shook his head and swallowed, "No I didn't, bro; decided not to bring any."

"How come?"

"Not - in the mood," and he quickly grabbed one of the bags of cookies, ripping into it hungrily. Leo smiled - as did Raph and Donnie.

"So, I guess Foot activity has calmed down, eh?" Casey asked.

"Knock on wood, but - yes, they seem to be taking a break from causing us any trouble." Leo smiled.

Donnie glanced over at his brother in blue, his eyes narrowing a bit, his thoughts whirling at a fever pitch. Don knew he was a little on edge, since this was the moment of exposure. Yet, he couldn't help recognizing the phrase Leo just used. Raph had uttered the very same words not more than three days prior, when Don decided not to use the two recordings of Leonardo that he had deemed inappropriate for the compiled DVD. He couldn't think of any way, though, that Leo would have knowledge of the conversation, so, he just discarded the thought as he closed the tray of the DVD player.

"Yeah, seems the Foot decided on a lil'holiday. Kinda allowed us t'do other things this week," Raph smiled as he grabbed a bag of chips from the table. Tearing it open, he shoved his hand into the bag and grabbed a fistful, before tossing some of the contents into his mouth, "Been kind of nice, not going out ev'ry evenin', watchin' DVD's, and just hangin' out with you guys."

Leo looked at Raph, his mouth slightly agape, "Can't believe you just said that, bro, considering how you like to prowl the city."

"Hey," Raph smirked, "I'm allowed a break from time t'time. Tomorrow night, though, New York's scumbags are mine!" and he quickly punched air with both fists, pieces of chips flying from the bag. He then settled back against the couch as April appeared with Splinter's cup of tea.

"Here you are, Master Splinter. Are you comfortable?"

"Quite, Miss Oneal. Now, you must join us. I am very curious about this special movie you want us to see."

"Me, too!" Mikey agreed enthusiastically, "I mean, if it can't wait 'til after Lord of the Rings, it must be preeetty special."

"Oh, it _is_!" Case grinned. He patted the cushion next to him for April to sit down and when she did, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

As Don sat back down on he couch, sitting in-between April and Raphael, Case took up the remote. He punched in a series of buttons, remarking, "The bigger the toy, the more complicated it gets to turn on," and chuckled.

Before long, the wide-screen television bloomed to life. A talk show was on but Casey quickly switched it to DVD mode. He picked up another remote, this one belonging to the DVD player, and punched in Play. The screen soon turned blue and then the movie began.

Soon, a familiar picture popped into focus, along with some background music, apparently to augment the scene. It seemed to have surprised two members of the audience, yet a third member seemed just as unprepared. He stared curiously at the television, wondering how in the world music managed to find its way onto the DVD. He swallowed nervously and did a quick sideways glance at Leo, as his brother sat opposite him on the other side of Raphael. A very subtle upturn of his brother's mouth, though, caused Don's anxiety to heighten.

"Is this not - our home?" Splinter asked, somewhat confused. He blinked and leaned forward, squinting at the television as if he didn't quite understand what he was seeing, "Why are we watching a DVD of the lair, Mister Jones?" he asked, looking questioningly at Casey.

The man shrugged nervously, "I…um…dunno, I only found the DVD, Master Splinter?" Casey tried hard not to smile.

Mike giggled a bit and Raphael did likewise, but as for Don? Don didn't say a word. He just continued starring at the screen, a small knot of dread filling his stomach.

"Um…" Don then turned to Casey, mostly mouthing his words as he tried to keep his voice to a whisper, and hoping the music from the DVD would mask them. "_This isn't the disc I gave you!"_

"_Sure it is."_ Case mouthed back.

Don gave an abbreviated shake of his head and then April turned and furrowed her brow at him, softly asking, "_Isn't this it?"_

"_No,"_ Don mouthed emphatically, his eyes slightly wide, "_it isn't…this is **not** what I recorded!"_ Slowly, he turned back to look at the screen again, an unsettled thought on his mind, _Oh_, _I have a very bad feeling about this_.

In that moment, Don felt like puking.

As he and the other members of the 'audience' sat there, the screen showed the lair in the way that Don had positioned the cameras in the living room, only it was empty, no one appeared to be home. The real problem was, the first scene was _supposed_ to have been of the dojo, the very first recording Don had made of Leonardo. The poor turtle then wonder if maybe he had mixed things up a bit.

Suddenly, the scene showed his brother casually walking into the living room from the hallway where the bedrooms were.

Don heartened, _Maybe I accidentally included something else…, but…I really don't remember anything like this, certainly not the music! _

Then, as the screen showed Leo slumping onto the sofa and taking up the remote, he turned the television on. Don knew then that it wasn't the same DVD he had compiled the night before. He gave another sideways glance at his brother in blue and he couldn't be sure, as it was very quick and very faint, but Donatello was quite certain Leonardo had just - finished - smiling…again.

Suddenly, like an epiphany, Donatello remembered when Leonardo brushed beside him in the lair, before they headed over to Casey's apartment. It wasn't deliberate - or so it seemed - but Leo had paused to talk with Don and on the same side where Don had hidden in his belt the infamous DVD.

_No, it certainly doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out some things! _he grumbled silently to himself

Suddenly, Splinter's voice jerked Donnie back from his disturbing thoughts. He turned to see his father look at Leonardo with a questioning face.

"Why are you in this…documentary, my son?" the rat asked, brows pinched in confusion.

Shrugging, Leo replied, sounding just as confused, "I really don't know, Sensei. I'm…" he glanced at his brothers, "as surprised as all of you, but…if I were to hazard a guess…" and he leaned forward a bit more and looked directly at Donatello, "it seems that someone has installed hidden cameras in the lair to spy on us, or me, as it's turning out. At least, in the living room anyway." He gave Don a disapproving look and shook his head.

In an instant, panic seized him. Nearly jumping from the couch, Donnie exclaimed, "**NO, that's not true, I would nev**…" but the very moment he spoke, Raph sighed and shook his head.

Don knew then that he had screwed up.

Leaning a bit and turning towards Don, Raph grinned and whispered, "Looks like hell just froze over!"

"Shut up!" Don seethed.

Raph smiled wider.

If there was ever a time when Don wanted to disappear, though - and without a trace - it was now.

Casey then reached over and patted Donnie's back, "S'okay, dude, happens all the time t'me…um…the screwin' up part, that is."

Still, Don could only sit there, mortified, knowing that to argue the case would only upend their plan, which was slowly becoming a disaster anyway. Moreover, to implicate his other two brothers would only have them denying any involvement, just as he had tried to do a moment ago. Worse still, with the evidence presently playing on Casey's television, no one would believe that Raph and especially Mike had anything to do with the cameras or the DVD. Everyone knew that Don was the only one who had the means and the intellect to pull it off. Well, other than April, but like the others, no one would ever believe she had anything to do with it.

Don was dead meat.

Just the same, no one seemed bothered with watching the video and, amazingly enough, Splinter appeared the most amused by it. Yet, as the minutes ticked away and as the scene remained the same - that is, with Leonardo reclined on the couch, quietly watching television - it became painfully obvious to not only Don, Raph, and Mike, but to the humans, as well, that somehow, someone switched the DVD with one completely different.

Yes, indeed, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out this one.

Yawning, "This is all very enlightening," Leo again glanced at Donnie, "knowing my _genius brother_ would hide cameras and all, but - I would think you would want to record something more…interesting…" he smiled, "than of me watching television. Can't we watch the main movie, now? Isn't that why we came here?"

Sighing and with all enthusiasm gone from his voice, "Yeah, guess we should," and Don stood and went over to switch out the DVD's.

Splinter, though, seemed rather pleased, "Actually, I find this rather refreshing. I have always wanted to know what you did, Leonardo, whenever the rest of us were out of the lair." He bowed his head slightly and smiled at him, "I am glad to discover that you are as true to who you are, even when you are alone."

Leo returned the gesture, sincerity dripping off each word, "I wouldn't be any other way, Father."

Unseen by Leonardo and Splinter, Don stuck his tongue out, just a little, but enough to make him feel - _slightly_ - better. Maybe it was a behavior more inclined for Mikey, but it was one Donatello couldn't resist. He was thoroughly disgusted and Don was certain that once they returned home, he was going to be in a truckload of trouble with Splinter.

"And as for you, Donatello…" Splinter's expression tightened, "you will report to the dojo the moment we return home. I will want a full explanation as to why you felt it necessary to spy on your family and, more pointedly, on Leonardo!"

As Leo sat back against the couch again, smiling faintly, and while Mike and Raphael chuckled, Don could only nod obediently. He sighed to himself, "_Yep, that truck's coming fully loaded." _

xxxxxxxx

**_A/N_** _- 'High eight' - three fingers and five fingers makes…eight. Yes, you can groan, I don't blame you, I know I did! But, I couldn't resist:0)_


	10. The Comeuppance

_**Disclaimer - **Go talk to Mirage about copyrights. I don't own them. _

_As an addendum to my A/N in chapter 8, I inadvertently forgot to name **Ame Musashi** for contributing her idea of World of War Craft to Leo's list of hobbies. My apologies, Ame. I have since made the correction. :0) _

xxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 10 - The Comeuppance**

"So how many does that one make?"

Snorting irritably, Don pulled the micro cam and its remote wiring from the small crack in the ceiling. He did a quick meditation to control his annoyance, though, trying to get past his disgruntled mood. Then, as he glanced down from his perch on the ladder, he saw Mike's earnest face looking up at him, and wearing the biggest grin he could muster.

Finally, Donatello answered, his voice flat and dispassionate, "Five."

Chuckling, his brother folded his arms in front of him and shook his head, "Man, you really went all out in this room, didn't you?"

"We needed a lot of angles, Mikey," Don explained dryly, "it was necessary…well at least I thought so at the time."

"Yeah and it's only the first room." Raph chuckled, swaggering into the dojo. "Seriously, dude, yer gonna be busy for the next week uninstalling these."

"Actually, Raph," Don corrected, "I'm going to be _busy_ for the next _two_ weeks."

"An' ya know I don't think I've ever heard Splinter as mad at you as he was last night," Mike grinned, "Explain to us again what Splinter said you have t'do, Donnie?"

"Mike, what is it about my punishment that intrigues you?" Don asked nonchalantly as he inspected the spy cam, making sure he hadn't damaged it during its removal.

"Cuz, Donnie, I'm always the one in trouble and you aren't. It's kinda nice to see the table's turned!" Mike laughed with Raphael joining him.

Placing the tiny camera in the box with the other four and with said box in hand, Don stepped down off the ladder. Once on ground, again, he pointed an accusing finger at both Raph and Mike, "And it's a punishment the three of us should be sharing and you both know it."

Patting Don's shoulder, "I appreciate the sacrifice, bro…" Raph grinned, apparently quite amused with himself. "Ya always were the nice guy. Anyway, what is it again you have t'do?"

Don let out a long frustrated breath and recited his reparation, "I have to wash every wall and every floor in the lair, and I can't use the computer for two weeks, and I have to meditate more, and…."

"Yeah, yeah," Mike waved the comment away, as if it was unimportant, "we know all that, but _how're_ ya supposed to _clean_ 'em?" He smiled wider this time.

Don rolled his eyes, "With a _toothbrush_," and then snorted, "and if you both keep harassing me about it, I'll use _yours_!" He turned hastily to exit the dojo

"Hey, ya can't do **that**!" Raph protested, raising one finger in objection, as he quickly followed Don into the hallway.

"I can do anything I want," Don shot back, "Sensei didn't say _what_ toothbrush to use."

"But…but he meant an _unused_ toothbrush, a new one, Donnie!" Mike scrunched his face in disgust; thinking about his toothbrush getting used the way Don threatened to use it. He then quickly caught up with his two brothers, "Seriously, bro, that's just…_rude_!"

Smiling back at them, "Gotta love the loopholes, Mikey!" Don continued to his workroom, the next stop on his list,

"Fine, if that's the way your going to be, I won't keep my toothbrush in the bathroom, then, I'll…I'll HIDE it!" Mike stuck his tongue out.

"Yeah, me, too!" Raph grumbled, equally disgusted with the prospect.

"I'm ninja, like you." Don turned and gave his brothers an evil grin, "I'll find it, don't you worry." He chuckled to himself and walked into his workroom, "Believe me, you'll never know if I use them!" and he laughed some more.

"That's just - just - **_wrong_**!" Raphael, complained.

"And on so many levels, dude!" Mike agreed, now standing with Raphael at the threshold of Donatello's lab, both brothers sour faced.

With his back to them, "You're right, it is…" and Don turned around, folding his arms across his chest. He quirked an accusing brow, "but it's also wrong that I should take all the blame, too. However, I'm not going to tell Sensei, since I think honor demands it that you guys do."

"Hey," Mike challenged, straightening up as best he could, "I didn't have anything to do with this, and you know it. I was just…"

Don took a quick step towards Mike and pointed, "The fact you knew enough to sabotage breakfast and raid Leo's candy stash already makes you an accomplice."

"Minor details, dude, but it…it's your fingerprints on the goods, not mine, or even Raphie's!" Mike stuck his tongue out, "_Nnya_, so there!"

While the three stood there staring each other down, a voice came from behind Raphael and Mikey, "So, it seems the spying _was_ a joint effort."

All three brothers jumped with two turning to see Leonardo standing in the hallway, partially concealed by the shadows there. As he stepped further into the light spilling from Don's room, Leo grinned, but no one said a word. They just stood there speechless and watched as their brother in blue casually walked up to them.

"You think you know someone and then," Leo snapped his finger, "they turn on you." He worked his way up to Raph and Mikey and then moved around them to join Don in his room. As he looked back at each brother, Leo sighed, "Seriously, I never thought you three would betray me like you did."

"Look, Leo," Don placed a friendly hand on his brother's shoulder, only to have it shrugged off. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry…" he held his hands up in surrender, "but it was only a joke, Leo, nothing more."

"Nothing more?" his brother raised an eye ridge, "Don, you were spying on me and recording everything I did…and you apparently hooked our two brothers into your scheme, as well!"

"I DIDN'T HOOK ANYONE, LEO!" Don was wide-eyed and beginning to hyperventilate, now. He was getting mighty tired of catching all the heat, "They were willing assistants, and…and anyway," he pointed, "it was Raph's idea in the first place. He's at least as guilty as I am." Don's peripheral vision caught Raph shooting a warning glance at him, but the purple-masked turtle was to irritated to care, so he conveniently ignored it.

"Hmm…" Leo murmured, "maybe, but Sensei doesn't think so."

As Michelangelo grinned, Don threw his hands up in frustration, "Only because of a **technicality**, Leo!"

"More like tech_nology_, if you ask me!" Mike sniggered.

"Oh, shut up, Michelangelo!"

"Make me, Don-A-tello!" his brother stuck his tongue out.

"**_Tooth. Brush_**?"

"Ah, yeah…heh…never mind." Mike grinned sheepishly and stepped behind Raphael a little, looking more uncomfortable than before.

"In any event, regardless of how many of you were involved…" Leo gave an accusing glance at Don, "You, of all people, should have been smart enough to avoid participating."

"It only started as a thought, Leo…Raph's thought, in fact!" Don still ignored his brother's growing ire with the repeated implication.

"And what thought would that be, Don?" Leo quirked his head, one eyeridge raised curiously.

Sighing, Donatello replied, "Okay, we were wondering what you did when no one's around…but…I have a question for _you_."

"Yeah?"

"How did you record your DVD without augmenting the clock?" Don waited, as Mike and Raph's interest piqued all of a sudden.

"Who said I recorded a DVD?" Leo went serious, now, folding his arms in front of him, all humor gone from his face.

Laughing derisively, Raphael walked into the room, his hands up in the air in frustration, "Oh, com'on, bro, you HAD to be the one responsible for that DVD at Casey's. Ya would have had t'know we recorded ya doing some pretty zany stuff, we saw th' DVD's ourselves."

"Yeah, on Don's computer. It was hilarious!" Mike chuckled.

"Hilarious…me, sitting in front of the television for hours on end is - funny?" Leo shook his head and smiled, "You guys are too easy to entertain, that's for sure!"

"Ya weren't just watchin' TV, LEO!" Raph challenged, glaring in frustration, "Ya were doin' otheh things, too!"

"And what exactly would that be, because." Leo quirked his head, "so far, you haven't provided any evidence to challenge otherwise."

Mike and Raph seemed struck mute with surprise, so they stood there, as if choking on their words.

However, Don managed well enough.

"Leo, get real, we know you did it and why, but I want to know how you did it," he demanded, "and how did you know where to find my DVD's?"

"What DVD's, Don?" Leo replied innocently, "Seriously, I only watch television when you guys are out…oh, and I practice my katas, read, and sometimes meditate." He snickered, "But I guess you only concentrated on recording me in the living room, since that's all the DVD showed."

Finding his voice again, Mike stammered, "But, but, we recorded you in the dojo dancing, doing ballet, and in the kitchen making eggsBENEdict!"

"Mike, you know me, I'm a disaster waiting to happen in the kitchen."

"I _saw_ you make eggs BENEDICT!" Mike was wide-eyed insistent, unable to believe what he was hearing.

Leo just smiled and shrugged, "I really don't know what you're talking about, Mike." He looked at his other two brothers, "All of you keep saying that I'm this - _eccentric_ - member of the clan, a contradiction to how I normally present myself, but I am who I am…just as you saw on the video at Casey's. If you can't believe it," he shrugged again and gave a small smile, "don't go blaming me."

As Leo made to leave the room, Mike grabbed his arm, stopping him, nearly huffing, "What about 2Hot2Handle?"

With a pinched eyeridge, Leo shook his head, "Two hot…what?"

"That's your name on WarCraft, 2Hot2Handle!"

"I hate PC games, Mike, it's a waste of my time, you know this."

"But I saw you on one of the DVD's Don recorded, you were playing the game, and you logged in as 2Hot2Handle, and you've been beating me in points for the past four **months**!" Mike growled, still frustrated over the fact.

"I'm sorry you're losing at your game, Mikey, but are you sure it was me and not someone else?" Leo smiled, "Did you really see _me_ log in, Mike, or maybe…the game was already in progress? Maybe someone was - impersonating me?"

"But…I…I _saw_ _you _at the computer and the game was on and you were playing and…and..."

Leo looked at Mike and affectionately patted his face a little, "Maybe you think you saw me, Mike; but maybe it was one of them?" Leo gave a casual wave of his hand towards Don and Raph. "Nevertheless, none of you have provided anything to prove otherwise." and with that, Leonardo gave a small, quick laugh and left the room, leaving his three brothers staring after him.

Once his brother disappeared out the door and down the hallway and after hearing Leo's bedroom door close, Don murmured quietly to Mike and Raph, "Despite his assurances to the contrary, I believe our brother knows enough about computers to pull his own brand of chicanery."

"Chicanery? What th'hell's that?"

"It means 'to fool', Raphael, to pull the wool over one's eyes," Don explained, "and we can't prove anything, not without the real DVD's." Don then admitted, "And I've checked the dojo thoroughly, too, just in case he hid them in there, but I know Leo has them, he has to and how in blazes did he know about the false bottom in my desk drawer?" The purple-masked turtle huffed and shook his head as he stared at his desk, grumbling something about the inconvenience of living in a ninja clan.

Suddenly, Don looked over at Mike and narrowed his expression, "You didn't tell him…did you?"

Quick as cobra spit, Mike had his hands up in defense, "Hey and get my shell ripped off by you and psycho brother? No way, dude!"

Don glanced accusingly at Raph, who shook his head vehemently, too, "Don't even go there, bro, unless ya have a death wish - and who's a psycho brother, Mike?"

While Mike skittered around Don and out of reach of Raphael's grasp, Don grumped suspiciously, "Still doesn't seem possible." He stared past his doorway and wondered how in blazes Leo could have fooled them all.

_Chicanery, indeed!_ he grumbled to himself.

Four doors down from where his three brothers argued and in the bedroom closest to the living area a turtle in blue flipped open the cover of his _laptop computer_.

Leonardo smiled.

Months earlier, the portable computer had been a gift to him from April for helping to clean out her cellar. Although it was second hand merchandise and not working, she had replaced the necessary components to get the computer running again and, now, it seemed to hum like brand new.

Although he was appreciative of her gift, Leonardo made April promise not to say anything to his family. At the time, he didn't want any interference from his genius brother, as Leo was determined to learn how to use it on his own. He knew that if Don found out, he would overwhelm him with all kinds of technobabble and if Mike found out, Leo would never hear the end of it about having his own personal PC.

Yet, little did Leonardo know how useful his new toy would become.

Nevertheless, after a few quick pointers from April, within a couple of weeks Leo found himself to be quite proficient with the device. It surprised him, in fact, with how fast he learned to use it. Then, over the next month and with the way Mike carried on about _the 'most awesome game ever!'_ curiously, Leo joined an on-line, roll playing, subscription community. Leo smiled, remembering Mike's frustration with his denial with playing WarCraft.

_2Hot2Handle? Give me a break; I can do better than that_… Leo shook his head, "I wonder if Mike will ever find out who the mystery player really is?"

While Leo sat there and waited for his computer to warm up, he thought back to when it all began.

_It was a week after the quiet and strange encounter with his brothers in the kitchen. That was when he noticed something different about the wall clock. One day it worked fine as it always had and then the next day, the hands would pause occasionally. It was slight and subtle, but it was enough for Leo to notice and then wonder about it. _

_Rather than saying anything, though, he waited until he was alone in the lair and then didn't waste any time inspecting the clock. It was then when he discovered something very strange. _

_Where the screw would have normally been, he found a tiny camera cleverly imbedded in the middle. A little trip to Don's workroom and exploring his brother's computer had Leo discovering a recording program. Once he activated the play feature, Leo found himself shocked even more to find a video of himself. _

_Initially, the recording showed him coming into the kitchen after his family left for Casey's apartment. It was obvious that Don had started the recording shortly before leaving the lair. _

_Then, as the video played, it showed Leonardo using a chair to reach the clock in order to remove it from its place on the wall. The clock moved as he moved as he brought it over to the table, showcasing his curious expression. Then, as he peered closely at the hands to inspect them, Leo's face suddenly overwhelmed the screen. _

_To say he was surprise to see such a blatant act of spying, and in his own home, no less, was an understatement. It was then when Leonardo put into action a way to upend his brother's rather intrusive act. _

_After voiding the initial recording and temporarily turning the program off, Leo returned the clock to its rightful place on the wall in the kitchen. Then, he scoped out the rest of the lair. He had to laugh to himself at how easy it was to find all the cameras, too, but it puzzled him as to why Don felt a need to use them in the first place. Then, remembering how silent everyone had been in the kitchen the week before, Leonardo quickly reasoned that he must have been the topic of conversation. It could only explain his brother's unusual quiet and excuse to leave the lair. Why, he didn't know, but the cameras were a definite clue._

_Then, once he had mentally placed where all the mini cams were in the lair - and quite relieved that he found none in the bathroom, Leonardo went about recording the first of his more outlandish antics. Of course, he also made a more sedate recording and one he switched with Don's DVD, before they went over to Casey's the night before. He also made sure to have the computer clock calibrated to show the correct time for each recording, too, effectively covering his tracks when he made his version. That was the hardest and more technical part, but a feat that Leo felt especially proud to have accomplished._

_Finally, over the next six days, Leonardo had the time of his life providing enough rope with which to hang his genius brother. The toughest act, though, and a testament to his training, was in keeping a straight face, especially with the ballet, his air guitar act, and most definitely after Mike had raided his stash of hidden candy. _

"GAH, it was priceless", he chuckled softly to himself as he waited for his computer to boot up, "Mike was so miserable, I'm glad I didn't put any more junk in that hole, otherwise he might of od'ed". Suddenly, Leonardo clapped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing too loudly, just thinking about how his poor brother had to drink Sensei's horrible tea to offset his tummy ache. "Poor Mikey!"

As his PC screen came to life, Leo thought about Raph and Mike and knew that they were somehow involved, but he also figured that without Don, it wouldn't have happened at all. That, alone, justified his brother taking all the heat from Splinter.

As Leonardo tapped a series of keys and fingered the mouse pad, the picture on his laptop changed from his screen saver to a video. The moment it came into focus, it showed the three brothers still in Don's workroom.

Leonardo smiled.

Initially, it wasn't hard to get April to buy another spy-cam program and another micro camera, too, not after admitting to him about helping his brothers.

_That's_ _the nice thing about April; she has a 'heart of gold'_, Leo mused happily, _and a sensitive 'guilty' conscience_.

He had surprised her with an unexpected visit the morning following his discovery of the cameras, knowing that she had to have had a hand in their purchase. Much to his delight, Leo found April more than willing to cooperate.

"_It just bothers me that your brothers would even want to spy on their family, let alone you!" she had told him. "Makes me wonder if he would spy on me - or even Casey?" _

_Leo obliged April, then, and checked her apartment, soon declaring it 'clean' of such intrusive electronics. She was quite relieved, of course, and it seemed to be enough to further gain her help to even the playing field. _

As he watched his three brothers on the screen, now, the blue-banded turtle wondered if Donatello would ever find the extra spy cam. His brother hadn't dismantled his own yet, not where he seemed too busy for the moment discussing something with Mike and Raph. In fact, it appeared to Leo that the three of them were arguing, with various hands thrown about, fingers pointing, and with Don finally having enough from both, gesturing for them to leave his room. Raph protested the eviction, of course, while Mike shrank back towards the door, unsure and seemingly surprised by Don's forcefulness. Don seemed to grow bigger, then, rising on his toes as he pointed infactically towards the door. His mouth gaped open and his face seemed to pinch together, as if forcing his words out.

"Don's yelling?" Leo quirked his head a bit and overhead familiar voices raised in anger filtering into his room from the hallway through his closed door. He smiled, "Don sounds royally pissed." Smiling, Leo watched the screen again as his genius brother literally shoved Raph out of the room, with Mike scrambling through the doorway ahead of him. When they were clear of the threshold, Don slammed the door shut and then turned, grabbing up his chair. Raising it above his head, he made as if to throw it, but at the last minute, the purple-masked turtle suddenly slumped in defeat. He gently sat the chair back down again in its rightful place in front of the computer and slowly eased into it. With head in hand, Don rested his elbows on the desk in front of him and sighed.

"Hmm…it seems that Don does have a temper after all! Interesting." Leo smiled.

Just the same, with _his_ camera in a less conspicuous location, Leo was confident that even if his brother did find it and complain, there wasn't any way to prove to Splinter that it wasn't his. Obviously, Don would figure out that Leo had found one of the cameras and reinstalled it, but it would be impossible to prove.

It was a priceless and near perfect plan and Leo smiled again.

As he continued observing his brothers, unaware, Leonardo eased back against the bed headrest and squirmed around a bit to get comfortable. before sighing, "Ah, the wonders of remote recording. Certainly helps to have friends in technologically high places."

_xxxxxxxxx_

_A/N - One more chapter (the Epilogue), then I 'be done'. :0)_


	11. The Revelation

_**Disclaimer - **Yep, this is it, the epi. There are three parts to it, though, because I didn't know how best to end it. I had plenty of ideas floating around, but I chose these three, as they take up a few that people offered, with one that was my own. I hope you get a chuckle out of the last one, too. :0) _

_Once again, the TMNT's belong to others, not me. Don't sue. Please? Pretty please? Or, better yet, hire me as a writer, I won't mind at all. Yeah, as if… _

_Anyway...onward and forward… _

**Chapter 11 - The Revelation **

Don smiled. With Splinter's punishment behind him, he was back in his favorite room with his beloved computer.

Life couldn't be sweeter.

Nearly three weeks earlier, it took him the better part of a day to remove all the cameras from their various locations in the lair. The only problem he encountered was with the twelfth one. In short, he shouldn't have found it, since it represented one more than he had originally planted. More puzzling, however, was that Don had found the extra device in his lab and not anywhere near where he had placed his.

It caused him a bit of worry.

At first, when he thought about calling April to verify how many she had purchased for him, he hesitated. He realized that if she confirmed the same number he should have had, then he would have to consider two other explanations.

Either April was lying to him or Leo had managed his way into an electronics store to buy the extra spy cam. Don laughed, thinking about that. He knew his brother wouldn't do that, not where it required a bit of knowledge about the technology. It was second nature for Don to waltz into such stores and get what he needed, pay for the item, and be gone without raising suspicions. But, he was certain that Leo - ninja or not - would be fumbling around.

_Beside, where would he get the money to buy it in the first place? _Don shook his head over that

Of course, Casey came to mind, too, but Don dismissed him. Originally, the man had seemed more than intrigued with the idea of spying on Leo and appeared just as surprised by the eventual outcome as Don and his two brothers were.

_No, Case wouldn't even know where to begin in a store like that_, Don mused, laughing softly. _Maybe I did miscount. After all, I was a bit rushed to get them up and running before everyone came back home. _He smiled to himself. _That's what probably happened. _

Yes, indeed, denial was more than just a river in Egypt and so Don dismissed his uncertainty, at least for the time being. He couldn't check his computer, anyway, to verify if Leo did happen to record anything, since Splinter had banned him from using it. It was a frustrating wait, too, because Don didn't like not knowing.

Yet, over the next couple of weeks, the problem kept pestering him. The more Donatello thought about it, the turtle was certain he hadn't miscounted. It wasn't like him to be so negligent. Still, he couldn't explain number twelve, not without putting April and Leo together in manufacturing the infamous DVD.

In either case, he pushed the thought from his mind. It was enough to know in finding the extra spy cam that it confirmed his suspicions. At the very least, he now knew that Leo had the ability to install and understand the nuances of such electronics. The fact that his brother had turned the tables on him frustrated Don initially, but he decided to accuse Leo outright would only have him denying it. Considering Don was already 'guilty as charged', it would have been a moot point, anyway.

Thinking back to that moment he had yanked the camera from where Leo had hid it, Don grinned wide. He wondered how his brother reacted when discovering his little payback no longer worked.

_Pretty cheeky,_ _planting it in my own room! There's certainly more to Leo that what he wants us to believe, that's for sure. _

As he went about the task of booting up his computer, the turtle leaned back in his chair and sighed. Yes, indeed, he certainly had learned his lesson with spying on his family. He thought about all the cracks and electronic devices into which he had hid cameras. He hadn't counted on Leo finding any of them, of course, but in hindsight, he realized that that if a person had a mind and a reason to, they could find anything. It wasn't that hard, really - at least with his family, anyway.

_Made my mistake right there,_ he laughed to himself_. A ninja should always expect the unexpected and Leo's a master at that. _Don chuckled lightly again, quite amused with himself. He then thought back to that day, when he discovered how his brother figured out what was going on.

xxxxxx

_As Don took the kitchen clock down from its place on the wall, he hummed to himself, trying to look on the bright side of things. He admitted to himself, shrugging, "Well, at least I'll be spending time with Father; I don't do that very much anymore…" _

_With clock in hand, he looked longingly at it, before stepping off the ladder. He sighed, "Brilliant technology, but I wish I could figure out how Leo knew about…" and then one of the hands on the face hesitated for a second, just before the third hour. _

_It caused Don to stare harder at the clock, "What the…?" _

_He stared harder, then, watching as the minute hand moved slowly, and when it hesitated a second time and then a third, Donatello's eyes widened even more._

_"So **that's** how he knew!" _

It becameDon's _'ah ha'_ moment. He was sure that Leo would have noticed the hesitation, too, especially where his brother sat facing the camera. And, until Don had installed the camera and even afterwards when he checked it, the minute hand had never hesitated, not even once. It was a foregone conclusion, then, that his brother would wonder about it.

"Humph, sharp-eyed little twit!" he mumbled softly in reflection. _Yep, I need to make sure there aren't any more mishaps like that again_.

Once his monitor screen bloomed to life, Don moved his cursor around, clicking an icon. Next, a picture suddenly jarred into view. It shuddered at first, before breaking into four parts, and then Don smiled wider.

In the upper left-hand corner, a square one quarter the size of the screen appeared, showing a picture of Leonardo's room. It seemed to take in nearly all of his personal space, showing Leo's bed and desk along the left, while the door leading to the hallway outside was on the right.

Then, on the opposite side of the screen from Leo's was another same-sized square, but this time it showed Raphael's bedroom and with the same amount of coverage, too.

Likewise, the bottom left displayed Mikey's quarters, leaving the square directly below Raphael's for Donatello's laboratory. The genius of adding his own room was that it showed his workstation and in the same way as the twelfth camera had. He wanted to find out the identity of 2Hot2Handle, among other things, certain it had to be Leo, despite his brother's insistence to the contrary.

Don smiled again_Leo might be smarter than he wants us to believe, but he's no techno genius._

Yes, indeed, Don had certainly learned his lesson well and with the most important one with where to place such wonderful devices as spy cams. After trading out the old ones for smaller, better cameras - thank goodness April included the receipts when she gave them to him initially - Don installed them in such a way that even Leo wouldn't suspect a thing.

He had learned his lesson indeed!

As he continued to watch the screen, after a while, he realized nothing of great importance was happening. Raph had his headphones on, probably listening to his hard rock music. His lips were moving and it made Don wonder if Raph was singing along. He chuckled, imagining his surly brother in a karaoke bar, wailing away with microphone in hand. The more he thought about hit, the more he giggled.

_When I get the extra money, I'm going to add sound, too_, Don grinned.

He then looked down at the bottom left screen and noticed Mike seemed engrossed with a comic book, only it appeared as if his brother had fallen asleep, with the opened magazine covering his face. One of Mike's arms draped off the bed and hung limp, his fingers twitching sporadically, while the other one rested across his midsection. The gentle rise and fall of his plastron confirmed Don's suspicions that his little brother was indeed napping.

Finally, he glanced above Mikey's screen and noticed saw that Leonardo was out of his room, since the room appeared empty.

Nevertheless, despite the absence of one and the serenity of the other two, Donatello was certain in time, one brother would do something 'memorable', memorable enough to glean payback material for future use.

_Brilliant idea, these spy cams! _

He smiled a little more_, And maybe I'll find out where the signal from that twelfth cam went to, as well. Leo must have a computer; he would have to, because I certainly didn't find anything on my lab's. _

Feeling thirsty, he reached under his make shift desk to the small, efficiency refrigerator he kept there. Opening the door, he quickly procured a can of soda, and then closed the appliance. While he popped the tab, he thought back to when he acquired the convenient little box. It was the best find he had made in quite a while, a reject, something someone had discarded a few years ago, assuming it was beyond repair. To Donatello, though, nothing was ever beyond fixing and, so, he had happily carted the small refrigerator back to the sewers.

Then, on those days when he wanted a break from fixing things, Don would come here, to his little hideaway not far from the lair. Like his home, the city had abandoned it, only it was smaller, like a utility room, but big enough for him, a desk, a chair, some shelves, and another restored computer. Anytime he needed some peace and a break from fixing things, he would use his junkyard excursions as an excuse to get away.

So far, no one knew about his little retreat. He always made sure to bring something back to the lair, too, just to give the illusion that he had indeed been dumpster diving.

Looking over at his shelf and assessing his collections, Don pondered what to bring back this time. There were toasters and motherboards, with radios and other electronics from which to choose. He thought about the lair and its needs and decided that maybe he would pick the radio. It worked just fine, but he would tinker with it anyway once he was back in his lab. He had to keep them believing, after all. Don smiled and decided he would tune it to Leonardo's favorite station and give it to him as a peace offering.

Don chuckled again and took sip of soda, then continued watching his monitor, _Takes a ninja to fool a ninja, that's for sure! _

A few days later…

"Raph, hold still…"

"I'm tryin', but ya keep **stickin'** me!"

"Oh for heaven's sake, Raphael, you've had worse things sticking you!" April chuckled, "Besides, it has to be snug on you, so it doesn't swallow _him_ up."

Raph glared at the woman and grounded his teeth, trying not to say something he would later regret. Nevertheless, the turtle knew she was right. He had indeed experienced worse things than tailor pins, even though they reminded him of needles and God only knew how much he hated needles.

After another agonizing ten minutes enduring April's brand of torture, the ninja finally grouched, "S'how long do I hafta stand here like a stupid store mannequin?"

"Just until…" April replied, pins poking from between her teeth, "I get this side done."

After a long moment, she finally straightened, hitching herself a bit to ease the stiffness from her back. She studied the hemline critically and then took the last remaining pins from her mouth.

"There, perfect!" she declared, looking triumphantly up at Raphael. "You can relax, now," April smiled hugely, "I really do appreciate this, Raph."

The turtle, clothed from neck to knee in silken, embroidery-rich material, shrugged, "Figures…but why me? I'm taller than Masteh Splinteh, and - rounder, too, fer that matteh. Mike would have been a betteh fit; and he's not as muscled as I am, eitheh."

Raph tried to flex his arm to prove his point but instead found another pin. "OW! Damnit'all…" He grabbed his sleeved arm, rubbing where the pin had poked, and tried not to stick himself again in the process. As he did, he caught the subtle smirk on April's face.

"S'not funny, Ape!"

"Oh if one of your brothers were modeling this it would be."

Smiling, Raph couldn't help but chuckle, "Yeah, yer right, s'pecially Leo." He sighed, however, "But why me, again?"

"Like I said when I asked you, Case refused. He - um - said he wouldn't be caught dead wearing a…a kimono and I know the others wouldn't volunteer, and, besides, you _did_ say you'd assist me whenever I needed help, since I helped you spy on Leo…"

"You mean helpin' Donnie spy, 'cuz he's the guy who recorded him."

April scowled a bit, measuring tape in hand. Then, with the other planted firmly on one hip, she lowered one eye, "But it was your idea, Raph. You even said so, you were even _proud_ of the fact!"

"But, the bottom line, April, is without Don, the plan wouldn't even've gotten off th'ground," Raph rolled his eyes, "'Sides, the whole friggin idea got shot t'hell with that DVD Leo switched ours for."

April's head snapped up, surprised "He admitted that to you?" but then she regretted her actions and swallowed nervously, realizing she had reacted too quickly. _Great, now he's gonna think I… _

"You knew?" Raph stared, gaping at the woman. She looked away suddenly, as if to inspect the hem she had just worked on, but Raph caught her blush. "Hey," the turtle quirked a brow, "did…did you have anything t'do with that other DVD, Ape?"

April shook her head and tried to smile, meeting his accusing gaze, "No, um…no of course not, Raph, I mean…" and then shrugged, "…wh-why would I do that?"

Smiling at her obvious lie, Raphael chuckled, "Leo got to you, didn't he?" He laughed, throwing his head back, "I knew he'd figure it out, somehow, someway, and sooner than we thought he would." He looked straight at April, now, squinting one eye, "I bet Leo found one of th'cameras, didn't he? Which one was it?"

The woman tried not to look away, but she couldn't help it, if only for just a second. It was enough, however, to let Raph know he had assumed correctly. Sporting a huge grin, the turtle chortled, "Guess it doesn't matter what one he found, I knew ya had somethin' t'do with it, Ape. It's not like Leo could waddle into an electronics store to buy a spy cam anyway; he's not like Donnie."

"Raph," April pleaded, her hands supplicating, "you _can't_ say anything to Done about this…I-I'm serious." She glanced anxiously over at the opened window for a second, fearing someone overhearing her. Her eyes slightly wide at that prospect. She then looked back at Raph again, keeping her voice low and her face sobered, "I feel bad enough that Splinter punished him like he did."

"Hey, April," Raph assured her, "you don't have t'worry about that. Fer once, our genius brother's on the rough side of Splinteh; which doesn't happen very often, know what I mean?"

"Still," April shook her head, "you and Mike should have taken some of the blame, just so Donnie didn't have to take it all."

Raph quirked a grin, "I'm not tellin' unless pressed t'do so and Don's already said he ain't gonna spill the beans. He's leavin' it up to Mike and me t'decide and - we've decided to play innocent!"

April narrowed her expression a bit, "You're both hopeless, you know that?"

"Yeah, whateveh, I figure we're all on th'same page, now, anyways." Raph sniggered under his breath, "'Bout time Wonder Boy gets caught doin' somethin' _naughty. _Too bad Splintah Junior got off easy, though. I thought fer sure we had 'em, too."

The woman bit her tongue and then motioned quickly with one hand, "Raph, could you turn around half-way, I think the right sleeve is hanging a bit long in the back."

"Hey," Raph complained, as he turned, "I thought you said it was perfect?"

"The _hem_ is perfect, the _sleeve_ is not."

"Ah, geeze, com'on, Ape, Sensei won't notice…OW! HEY, WATCH it with those pins!"

"Sorry, it kind of slipped," April replied sweetly, securing the material.

After a few more pins - and as many pricks later, Raphael was ready to call it quits. Still, he remained standing faithfully a top one of April's dining room chairs, gritting his teeth. The more she pricked him, though, the more he grumbled under his breath in irritation. In fact, the last one almost had him whipping around in protest, but he inhaled deeply, hoping and praying April would hurry up.

Finally and with Raph's shell to her, April stopped to evaluate her handiwork. "Thank you for your patience, Raph."

"Yeah, whateveh," he snarled, fisting his hands in aggravation.

Nevertheless, had he eyes in the back of his head, Raphael would have seen a small smile spread along April's face and even more so as she secured one…last…pin into the kimono's sleeve.

"OW! Jeeze," Raph jumped and turned to face her, "Ape, fer cryin' out loud, I'm not a frick'n' pincushion!"

April chuckled to herself, _But, you sure are a pinHEAD, Raph! _

xxxxxx

Later on that night, a hooded figure moved quietly into the shadowed room through an opened doorway, the robe effectively shrouding his identity. With the room's regular occupant gone for the evening, at least for a few hours, his absence would give the interloper enough time to do what he wanted to do.

Moreover, where the others were visiting with friends, he could work undisturbed, as well.

He chuckled gleefully.

Rubbing his hands together expectantly, he quickly sat down in the chair. Then and without further hesitation, as if he knew the routine by heart, he reached over and pushed a button. While he sat there waiting for the computer to boot up, the robed figure leaned forward a bit more, almost impatiently, resting his elbows atop the table. With hands clasped in front of him propping his chin up, he hummed a bit to pass the time.

After a minute, the monitor screen finally glared to life and the figure nearly leaped from his chair in excitement. In the next moment, his fingers moved under the oversized sleeves, flying over the keyboard in a rush, . Soon, a website materialized and caused a smile to crease the operator's face. He happily read the title aloud, "World of Warcraft, my home away from home!"

Quickly typing his name and password into the member's box, he waited, his knees bouncing a little in anticipation. He turned then, looking over the room curiously, visually inspecting the various object-laden shelves. As he did, though, the hood slipped back away from his head, exposing a fuzzy, elongated muzzle.

Not too far away in a different part of the sewer and entrenched inside a small abandoned, but homey, utility room, another figure hovered in front of _his_ computer screen. His smile was clearly one of satisfaction and victory. Unsatisfied with the broad view of the room, however, he took the mouse and zoomed in on the computer area. Now, he watched as the person in his laboratory waited for the computer to boot up. Soon, he would know who it was who had bested Mike at his favorite on-line game. Don would finally have some leverage.

"Revelation time, my friend!" Donatello grinned.

However, as the person on the screen turned his head, apparently to look at something off camera, the hood on his head slipped off.

Don blinked. "Can't be…true."

Then, as a furry hand further pulled the hood from its head and exposed a pair of all-too familiar ratty ears…Don nearly fell out of his chair.

"Master Splinter…is…is 2Hot2Handle?"

As it finally occurred to him the futility of his quest, Don slumped in his chair and muttered, "So much for blackmailing."

**The End. **

_A/N - Bwahahaha! My thanks to Midnight Air for the karaoke idea and modeling gig. LOL Sorry about not using for Leo. And, again, my thanks to Ame Musashi for her thoughts on World of War Craft and to Midnight Air, too, as I just discovered she had offered it up as one of her first suggestions. Sorry about that, MA. :0) Seems Splinter liked it, as well:0) _


End file.
